


The Others

by blue_deer (Killerguppy)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Fantasy, Fluff, Harems, Hong Jisoo | Joshua-centric, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Relationship(s), Romance, Supernatural Abilities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2019-07-07 00:18:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 59
Words: 183,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15897063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killerguppy/pseuds/blue_deer
Summary: Jisoo was very content with being a nobody; far away from the power struggles he lived his boring student life in peace.That was until he met Chan, the first Forcebearer in a prestigious line of Wielders, who had run away from home and was now begging Jisoo to form a contract with him.





	1. Prologue: Of Wielders and Forcebearers

**Author's Note:**

> **Wielders:**  
>  People without special abilities but able to form contracts with one or more Forcebearers.  
> Contracts are necessary for Forcebearers to unlock their abilities.
> 
>    
>  **Forcebearers:**  
>  Divided into Warriors (offensive abilities) and Guardians (defensive abilities).  
> Abilities are sorted by rank, with rank 5 being the strongest, rarest and consequently most sought after.
> 
> Rank 1: Enhanced human abilities  
> Rank 2: Body Manipulation (e.g. Invisibility, Immunity, Mimicry)  
> Rank 3: Elemental Manipulation (Element has to be present in order to be used)  
> Rank 4: Reality Manipulation (e.g. Timewarp, Teleportation)  
> Rank 5: The Others (Abilities that don't fit into the first four categories)
> 
>  
> 
> Genre: Fantasy/supernatural, romance, fluff and comedy in a dark setting, action, angst  
> Pairings: Joshua x Everyone  
> Length: Longfic (30+ chapters)  
> Warnings: Mentions of abuse, violence (nothing too graphic), death, blood, swearing, cliffhangers ;)

 

Eighteen years after a child is born, at the brink of adulthood, a mark appears on their body. This mark determines their status and their path in life.

 

If the mark is in the shape of a key, the child will live freely since Wielders are perceived as the highest class in society. Not only are the most important political positions filled with Wielders from old distinguished families but also in economy and showbiz Wielders are predominant.

With the key mark comes the possibility of forming contracts with Forcebearers, blood-bonds ideally based on mutual interest and respect. But if the Forcebearer turns out to be of higher rank than expected, being in a contract might turn the life of the Wielder upside down – or end it, since not everyone is satisfied with the amount of power already in their possession.

If the mark turns out to be a sword or a shield, the child will live their life as a Forcebearer - either a Warrior or Guardian respectively. Only when a contract with a Wielder is formed can the ability that slumbers deep within each Forcebearer's soul be unlocked and only then will their rank be revealed by stars displayed below their mark.

The higher ranks promise power and prestige but the likelihood of being forced into a contract or endangering the life of the bonded Wielder grows with each star shimmering on the skin.

 

Wielders and Forcebearers are partners in a fair exchange. The contracts grant Forcebearers their abilities which in turn they use to protect and help the Wielders - usually to reach a shared goal. Or at least this is how it is supposed to be.

 

-

 

Greed had been the cause of humanity's downfall ever since the beginning of history, therefore the respectful and harmonious relationship between Wielders and Forcebearers had not lasted long compared to the grand scheme of things.

In the beginning, the amount of children that had turned into Wielders and Forcebearers had been equal, keeping the natural balance. But soon only every third, fourth or even fifth child received the key mark upon entering adulthood - causing the Wielder population to dwindle rapidly over the course of a few centuries. To this day the ratio is crooked, turning families which only consist of Wielders into rarities and therefore all the more powerful.

During the time of 'The Great Decline' the Wielders discovered that it was possible to form contracts with more than one Forcebearer - and against their will. Although the Forcebearers had to submit to the Wielder, the bloodbond would work even if the submission had been forced through blackmail or threats - the only repercussion being a slightly weakened contract that was easier to break.

Due to the nature of contracts, Forcebearers were unable to harm their Wielders or leave them for prolonged periods of time, effectively turning many of them into slaves. Only Wielders could undo the contracts, either by choice - regarding the ones they had formed on their own - or by force, leading to multiple unexplainable deaths of powerful Wielders all throughout history.

 

-

 

Below the outwardly peaceful appearance, the world has turned into a cruel and unforgiving place. And although it is generally safer for Wielders not to form contracts, Forcebearers are especially vulnerable while they're not bonded to a Wielder they trust.


	2. Bad Luck

Bright, warm sunlight was filtering through the blinds into his small bedroom when Jisoo opened his eyes. He stretched and yawned, still comfortably wrapped in his fuzzy blanket. The apartment was quiet and peaceful, only the sound of the clock ticking in the kitchen was breaking the silence. Not even his usually chaotic neighbors were being noisy and that was the first sign that something was awfully wrong.

With an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jisoo reached for his phone on the bedside table - only to find it turned off. The feeling intensified while he tried to revive the trusted yet ancient device (it was one of those flip-phones one could close with a dramatic gesture of the hand; he really liked doing it when nobody was watching) but after a few minutes of frantic effort he gave up with a loud sigh.

It seemed like he would have to buy a new one soon - which was not an easy task considering his almost empty bank account. All the money he earned through his part time job went into the rent for his small apartment and his parents were already paying his university tuition for him. Besides, he would never ask his parents for money anyway. They were struggling to make ends meet even without him pestering them but fortunately their Wielder was a kind man who had offered them two rooms in his mansion for free. He had even offered to pay for Jisoo's tuition but his parents had strongly refused since Jisoo wasn't one of his bonded Forcebearers.

Jisoo was somewhat of a rare case. Usually at least one parent had to be a Wielder for the possibility to bear a Wielder child to arise; there were only a few documented cases in history where two Forcebearers had given birth to a Wielder - but he was undoubtedly his father's child, seeing as they shared pretty much the same facial features. Therefore he had been raised to be a Forcebearer all his life and the Wielder of his parents had always treated him as one of his own. When the intricate key on his hipbone had appeared on his 18th birthday, everyone had been in disbelief - especially Jisoo, whose secure future had crumbled before his eyes. He had moved out of the mansion a few months later and - after finishing high school and several futile attempts of getting a job in his hometown - had decided to attend university in Seoul instead of staying in Daegu. A fresh start in a big city where nobody knew of his parents and whispers wouldn't follow him around.

But now, only about a month into his university life, it seemed as if he had gotten in quite the predicament. Chucking his dead phone aside, he sprinted into the kitchen to check the clock - almost getting a heart attack when it read half past nine. His class had started at nine and the professor had an especially nasty attitude when it came to tardiness, gleefully letting students fail who attended less than 90% of the time. Hurriedly, Jisoo threw on some clothes while simultaneously brushing his teeth and stubbing his toe and ran out of the front door, his bag dangling dangerously low on his shoulder.

 

Jisoo was a positive person. Therefore throughout the morning he repeated to himself that the day would eventually get better. He repeated it when his professor chewed him out in front of the class for being an hour late; he repeated it when he found out that he had forgotten to finish the essay he was supposed to hand in today; and he repeated it when lunch break came and he couldn't find his wallet anywhere in his bag. He even knew exactly where he had left it: securely placed in the middle of his little kitchen table, pretty to look at and completely useless in his current situation.

By now his stomach was rumbling since he had skipped breakfast in order to get to university as fast as humanly possible. While he pathetically stood in front of the cafeteria entrance, watching the other students come and go, he failed to notice that he was blocking the way of a rather large group of people.

"Oi, move it!" The loud voice from behind made him flinch and he hastily turned around to move out of the way. Of course he knew who the guy was who had just spoken, everyone on campus knew Jackson Wang. He was one of the most powerful Wielder students, the group he surrounded himself with consisting almost exclusively of four star Forcebearers and some of his almost equally powerful Wielder friends. They were as admired as they were feared and Jisoo usually went out of his way to avoid them at all cost - just like he did with any of the other big Wielder circles in his university, making him somewhat of a loner.

He cursed his bad luck when Jackson eyed him up and down, a small predatory smirk pulling at his lips. "Don't think we've met. Warrior or Guardian? And which rank?"

"I-I'm a Wielder." Jisoo hated his voice for breaking. A Wielder was supposed to stand strong and proud, not stutter as soon as someone spoke to them.

Jackson raised an unimpressed eyebrow at that statement. "You look more like a little Guardian. But there's an easy way to check, right guys?" He stalked towards Jisoo while his friends closed in as well, preventing his escape. He was surrounded by at least seven people and his heart felt as if it was about to burst out of his chest, even though he knew that there was not much to be nervous about. He was indeed a Wielder and he had no contracts so he was pretty much useless to the group. But still, the tension in the air made his knees want to give out on the spot.

Even before Jackson could ask - or grope him - Jisoo pulled up his shirt and pressed down on the waistband of his jeans, revealing his hipbone with the key mark. The people around him stared for a moment (which felt like an eternity) before Jackson let out a disappointed sigh. "Too bad, cutie. Might've bonded you even if you were only a two star. Well, see ya around." And with those words and a nasty grin, he and the rest of his group turned towards the cafeteria, leaving behind a shaking Wielder.

 

After fleeing into the library to finish his essay (and hide behind the bookshelves), Jisoo had ample time to contemplate the encounter. He wondered if it would have turned out differently if he was bonded to a Forcebearer or at least had a group of friends to hang out with. He had come to Seoul in the beginning of the semester but since he was somewhat shy and reserved, he had a hard time talking to people he didn't know. Also most students already knew each other from their highschool days or because they were bonded to each other. It was normal for Forcebearers to attend the same university as their Wielder, in many cases they even shared classes. Therefore groups had formed at an incredibly fast pace, leaving Jisoo behind together with some unbonded rank ones and twos - who, even though they were friendly enough in the beginning, had absolutely no interest in being friends after finding out that he was a Wielder.

Jisoo sat on the floor with his back to a bookshelf and rested his forehead on his knees. By now his mantra of "it's going to get better" had been replaced by the persistent feeling that this day was cursed. And this point was promptly proven by a book falling on his head from the shelf behind him.

"Ow, what the heck," he groaned, rubbing the sore spot.

"Are you okay?" a deep voice asked, causing Jisoo to jump in surprise. A stranger had walked around the bookshelf, looking at him worriedly - a very tall and very handsome stranger. Jisoo could feel his cheeks turn hot at once. "Did the book hit you?"

"N-no, I'm fine," Jisoo squeaked, desperately trying to hide at least a little bit of his red face behind his bangs. Mr. Attractive really didn't need to know about his proneness for embarrassing accidents.

"Great, I was worried for a second there," tall-and-handsome said with a relieved gummy smile. "The name's Bang Yongguk by the way; nice to meet you."

"H-Hong Jisoo, nice to meet y-you too." His cheeks turned even redder when he stumbled over his words. Ever since he was small, nervousness brought out a stutter, something his mother thought of as endearing while his father scolded him for not speaking clearly - which only made matters worse.

Yongguk didn't seem to mind though, the friendly smile never leaving his face. "Are you new? I don't think I've seen you before," he asked, his deep voice oddly soothing for Jisoo's frayed nerves.

"I-I'm from Daegu, I moved to Seoul a-about three months ago."

Before Yongguk could reply, they got interrupted by a third person, a slim male with cat-like features, the sword mark and three stars openly displayed on his neck. "Yongguk we gotta go, your parents- oh, _hello_ there. Sorry, am I interrupting something?" he asked with a wide grin full of implications that made Jisoo shrink back against the shelf.

Yongguk flicked the male's forehead in annoyance and turned back towards Jisoo with a smile. "Sorry, I'll have to leave now. But I'll buy you lunch next time because I'm pretty sure that I _did_ hit you with that book. See you, Jisoo."

Jisoo waved him goodbye with a little smile of his own and a warm bubbly feeling in his stomach. He watched them walk out of the library - the catlike one immediately pestering Yongguk about how he had met Jisoo even though they were still in earshot. Maybe he had just made his first friend in Seoul.

 

After this ray of sunshine during the otherwise rather dark day, he had spent the entirety of his free afternoon on finishing the essay instead of studying for the upcoming test like he originally had planned to. While sitting through his final class of the day, he comforted himself with the thought that he at least had been able to hand in his essay on time. His thoughts got disrupted by the professor suddenly raising his voice at the end of the period.

"Before you go, please be aware that tomorrow I'll hand out the topics for the group project that will replace your midterms. You'll have a month to finish it."

The whole class groaned in unison and Jisoo couldn't help but deflate. Normally he didn't mind group projects much but he didn't know anyone in this class. He peeked at his seat neighbor, a bored looking two star Guardian who probably had no interest in working with anyone but his own Wielder. Jisoo began to pack his bag, still contemplating the idea of being forced to work in a group, when someone bumped into his arm, causing him to spill the contents of his bag all over the floor. He stared in disbelief when the bulky guy stepped on his notes, crumpling them beneath the soles of his shoes and not at all bothering to apologize or pick them up.

"Are you okay?" A boy with a wide sunny smile who Jisoo recognized from some of his classes had knelt down and began to gather the papers.

Jisoo scrambled to help him, his cheeks already tinted red again. "Y-yes thank you, you really d-don't have to..."

The other student wasn't deterred in the slightest, he even tried to flatten the notes and get them back into shape. "Well, that was a dick move from Kangin and you looked like you could use some help. But I should probably go before he comes back, he doesn't like me talking to others." The sunny smile had dimmed slightly during the last sentence but before Jisoo could ask why, the male had already handed him his papers and left the room with a little bow of his head.

Jisoo dazedly finished packing his bag, wondering why anyone would deliberately prevent others from making friends. Sometimes the thought processes of Wielders felt as foreign to him as another language.

 

On his way home through the darkening streets, he busied himself with compiling a grocery list. It was unfortunate that he had forgotten his wallet otherwise he could have just gone shopping on his way home but fortunately the supermarket wasn't located all that far from his apartment complex. While he contemplated which type of juice to buy, his thoughts got disrupted by a sound eerily similar to a whimper.

Jisoo immediately stopped walking and looked around, goosebumps rising on his skin. The sky had turned dark since it was already well past five and the small side street he was currently standing in was filled with shadows. He was trying to convince himself that it had just been a figment of his overactive imagination when he heard it again. It sounded a lot like a small animal in pain and his heart hurt just by thinking about an abandoned pet all alone in the cold winter night. Steeling his resolve, he cautiously moved forward, looking around for signs of anything alive. When he passed a gap between two housewalls, he noticed a small movement in the dark. It took Jisoo's eyes a moment to adjust to the even dimmer light but what he then saw was definitely not what he had expected to find.

On the dirty ground, curled into a small ball to shield his body from the cold, sat a shivering boy, only dressed in a thin shirt and loose sweatpants. He wasn't wearing shoes, the mark of an unbonded Guardian on the back of his foot in the open for everyone to see.

 


	3. Chan

The shivering boy whimpered once again, seemingly unaware of his surroundings, and the quiet sound immediately pulled Jisoo's heartstrings.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he crouched down in front of the gap between the walls to make himself look less threatening and cleared his throat. The boy shrunk at the sudden sound and huddled himself further against the rough brickwall without looking up, most parts of his face still obscured by his arms.

Jisoo looked around one last time - just to make sure that this was not some sort of elaborate ruse to rob him - but seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he focused solely on the stranger in front of him.

"Excuse me? Do you need help?" He was incredibly glad that his voice had remained steady and that his stutter had not made itself known this time. After waiting for a few seconds and not getting any response, he tried again. "Hello? Can you hear me? It's too c-cold for you to sit here..." He trailed off when the boy lifted his head.

He looked even younger than Jisoo had assumed. With slanted, monolidded eyes and a pale face below a mop of brown hair, he appeared to be not older than sixteen but the mark on his foot was visible proof that he was at least legally an adult. Right now his pale face was glistening with tears and his eyes were red and slightly swollen. The stranger silently stared at Jisoo before he broke down into tears once again and muttered incomprehensible words.

It took the Wielder several ignored attempts of talking to the boy before he finally gave up and carefully moved closer while unwrapping his scarf with shaky fingers. He stopped a safe distance away, just out of reach of the other. The stranger didn't seem like much of a threat but better safe than sorry. "I'll give you my scarf but you really need to go home," he tried again and leaned forward, his scarf tightly grasped in his hands.

The boy seemed to calm down a little as soon as the soft, warm fabric came in contact with his skin and Jisoo slowly wrapped it around his throat and shoulders, careful not to touch the other directly. The crying stopped and silence filled the almost darkness. Jisoo breathed a silent sigh of relief and slowly began to move back towards the street he had originally come from in an attempt to make his way home.

He had not expected the boy to suddenly grab onto his arm, preventing him from going and scaring the living daylights out of him. Jisoo prepared himself for an incoming attack by closing his eyes.

"Thanks," a hoarse voice whispered next to him and the Wielder slowly opened his eyes again only to find the other still holding onto the sleeve of his jacket. The boy took a deep breath as if to suppress the tears that still threatened to spill and cleared his throat. "I don't have anywhere to go, I ran away. I'm Chan." His voice was clearer now, smoother, but filled with deep sadness that reflected in his dark eyes.

Jisoo felt a bit calmer now that the other was actually talking to him, so he turned back around and faced the boy once again. Chan had lowered his eyes and loosened the grasp on Jisoo's arm as soon as it seemed like he was not leaving anymore. He looked incredibly small and pale, still shivering from the cold. The Wielder worriedly noted the blue tint on his lips.

"I'm Jisoo. How long have you been out here, Chan?" he asked, making sure to keep his voice down to not scare the other. The boy only shook his head as an answer and wiped his eyes with the back of his dirty hands.

An almost motherly instinct rose to the surface of Jisoo's subconsciousness at the sight of so much misery. Maybe it was because he had always wanted a sibling or maybe because he was a Wielder and it was in his nature to care but the strong urge to help and protect the younger filled him. He took in the shaking form and bare, dirty skin and decided that he could risk bringing the boy into his flat so he at least could take a shower and warm up a little. "We should really get you out of the cold. It probably sounds weird but do you want to go to my apartment?"

Chan seemed reluctant to follow a stranger at first but after carefully studying Jisoo's face and only finding honesty and the wish to help, he finally agreed.

 

The walk back home had been quiet. Jisoo had forced Chan to wear his thick winter jacket since even the sweater Jisoo wore beneath it was warmer than every piece of clothing the boy had on his body combined. Although Chan wasn't that much smaller when it came to height, he seemed to drown in the jacket since he was so thin. Fortunately the wide sweatpants hid his bare feet quite well while walking so none of the people on the streets noticed his unbonded status.

At the time they arrived in front of the apartment complex Jisoo lived in, Chan had stopped shaking but he was still overly pale and looked slightly dazed. He only talked when spoken to and even then his answers were monotonous and short. Jisoo worried that the boy was developing pneumonia or at least a severe cold and hurried through the hallways at an even faster pace than he usually did, all while keeping an eye out for Chan and the other residents. Fumbling with the electronic lock, he typed in the wrong passcode twice until the door to his apartment finally opened with a _beep_. He held it open and expectantly looked in Chan's direction who hesitantly entered the warm flat.

Turning on the lights, the Wielder closed the door and took off his boots. "Wait here, I'll get you some towels and something to wear." Chan only nodded silently, taking in the small but tidy living room. After raiding his wardrobe, Jisoo returned and showed the boy his bathroom.

 

The shower seemed to have revived Chan's spirits. He was now seated comfortably on the slightly worn out sofa, wrapped in Jisoo's blanket and cradling a big mug of hot chocolate in his hands. The colour had returned to his face and his lips were a soft pink instead of pale blue. He was also much more alert and responsive than he had been before, chatting animatedly about the pictures and things he had seen in the apartment and asking random questions. Jisoo felt his heavy heart turn a bit lighter with every cute smile directed towards him.

After a short moment of comfortable silence, Jisoo dared to ask the questions that plagued his mind. "Chan, why were you out there? What happened exactly?" The boy's smile immediately crumbled and it pained Jisoo that he had to disturb Chan's peace but he needed to know what was going on.

"It's not a nice story," Chan said quietly, his eyes downcast, "and I'll understand if you hate me afterwards..." His voice broke and he bit his lip, seemingly to keep himself from crying once again.

Jisoo frowned and patted his back reassuringly. "Don't worry, I don't judge easily."

Chan sighed and took another sip of his hot chocolate before he snuggled a bit deeper into Jisoo's blanket and began to tell his story.

 

-

 

Ever since he was born, Chan had learnt that he was better than others. As the youngest child of one of the most influential Wielder families, he was spoilt beyond belief, getting everything he wished for handed to him on a silver platter.

He had never questioned the system he was brought up in - why would he when it was taught by the family that surrounded him every day? Up until now he had been homeschooled, his parents not the least bit interested in letting their youngest get in touch with the world and - god forbid - make friends outside of their societal circles.

Chan was used to being tended to by Forcebearers, the ones in contracts with his parents as well as the ones bonded to his two older siblings and other family members who sporadically would visit their lavish mansion. Therefore, up until a few years ago, he had never questioned the bruises the Forcebearers would try to hide beneath their uniform or the fact that most of them did not dare to look into his eyes directly. It was simply the way it was supposed to be. If a Forcebearer did not obey, they had to be punished and if they did wrong, the punishment got more severe accordingly.

Chan was never one to actively hurt the Forcebearers around him though, unlike his older siblings who seemed to find joy in punishing their Bonded for even the slightest mistakes and with the most unreasonable excuses. Consequently, the older Chan turned, the more he tended to stay away from his family and their Forcebearers to not bring them any unnecessary trouble and harm.

But even though the relationship with his parents had cooled down throughout the past few years, his 18th birthday still was a big event. His mother had planned an enormous party and his father had decided to look for suitable daughters in his circle of business friends, now that his son was turning into an adult.

On the morning of his 18th birthday, Chan woke up with a giddy tingle in his chest. Immediately he climbed out of his bed and stood in front of the mirror, clad in a baggy shirt and comfortable sweatpants he used for sleeping. After examining his arms and throat, he concluded that the mark had to be hidden beneath the clothing, so he lifted his shirt to get a good look at his chest and stomach. Just when he was trying to examine his back, the door of his room opened and his parents and siblings walked in, quietly followed by some of their Forcebearers who were carrying a cake and tableware.

"So, where is it?" his mother asked without a proper greeting.

"I'm still searching, mother," he answered politely and pulled down his shirt. While waiting, his siblings began to chatter about university, bantering back and forth about professors and the amount of homework they had to do - but as soon as Chan rolled up his left pant leg, all noise in the room immediately ceased.

Imprinted on the back of his foot was his mark. However, it was not the key mark he was supposed to have - the dark lines of a shield stood out proud against his pale skin.

Even before fully realizing what exactly that meant for him and his future, a horrible, dreadful feeling settled in his stomach. He was sure he would throw up if he would try to open his mouth. Slowly he looked up, towards his family who seemed just as shocked as he was. The expression on his mother's face was a mixture of sadness, anger and disbelief while his father's face held unadulterated rage. The Forcebearers behind his parents sent him looks of pity and it was this pity that made him snap out of his numbness. "I... what... what is going-"

"Are you trying to mock me?! Turn our family into a joke?" his father spat, not the least bit caring that his loud voice caused everyone in the room to jump. "We're a family of Wielders, how can my son turn out to be an abomination?"

Chan felt incredibly small under the furious glare that nailed him to the floor but he still tried to defend himself. "But father, it's not my fau-"

"Quiet! A Forcebearer has no right to talk back to me. I'll cancel all the preparations for today and you better not step into my line of sight again." And with these words, he stormed out of the room, leaving the door wide open behind him.

Chan could feel a part of his heart shattering. His wide, searching eyes found his mother who by now looked equally as enraged as her husband. "Mother..."

"Don't talk to me, Chan. You have highly disappointed me. I don't want someone like you as my child." And with this she left as well.

Chan couldn't stop the tears from spilling and with his last strength he turned towards his siblings. His older sister only sent him a look of disgust before following their mother but his brother stepped closer, causing Chan's heart to beat even faster in hopes of hearing at least a few comforting words - but the cold grin on his brother's face made him stiffen at once.

"Since you're already fucked up, let's find out what rank you are," he said and grabbed Chan's arm who struggled with all his might against the iron grip.

"No! Please let me go, please hyung-" A strong slap across the face immediately silenced him along with the heated glare of his brother. It was the first time Chan had ever gotten hit and once again he felt as if he would throw up at any second. Numbly he let himself get pulled towards his desk where his homework laid scattered from the last study session, back when his life was still undisturbed and almost normal. He looked on as his brother grabbed one of the papers and cut his thumb with it, cursing loudly at the pain. When his brother's hand once again closed around his wrist, he knew that the world was going to end.

Chan closed his eyes and waited for the pain of the cut and the forced bonding - but it never came.

Instead a voice spoke up behind him. "Master Chan, you need to leave as fast as possible. My ability is not strong enough to keep time at a standstill for too long and it's still flowing outside the room. Your parents might come back soon and I won't be able to help you then."

Trembling, Chan turned around to find the sorrowful eyes of Tao trained on him, one of his mother's Forcebearers. He was a four star Guardian and one of the oldest in the household, taking care of Chan ever since the boy had been born.

It took all his willpower to force himself to speak. "They'll punish you... maybe it's better to stay..." he whispered but the Forcebearer immediately cut off his words.

"I'm not letting you get forced into a contract." The steely gaze he sent towards Chan's brother turned soft when he looked at the youngest son of the household and he smiled reassuringly. "Leave now and don't worry about me."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Chan wrenched his arm out of his older brother's tight grip and made his way to the door, looking back one last time towards Tao who sent him a resolute nod. "Thank you, Tao. Please take care." He did not wait for an answer before he quickly stepped into the hallway.

Nobody stopped him on his way out, a last farewell gift from his parents.

 

-

 

Jisoo swallowed hard and tried to suppress the tremors in his hands while he consoled Chan who had once again broken down crying. During the time in which he had told his story, the distance between the two boys on the sofa had gradually decreased and now Chan was shaking in his arms, his face buried in Jisoo's shoulder and his tears soaking his sweater. The Wielder tightened his hold on the younger and helplessly stroked his back in an effort to calm him down. He was not used to people being so close but it made him feel oddly warm.

"So, today is your birthday?" he asked, unable to think of anything better to say and regretted it immediately when Chan let out another loud sob. "Um... Do you want to stay here for a few days? You know, as a birthday present?"

Jisoo's cheeks flushed when Chan lifted his head, a hopeful shimmer in his teary eyes. "For real?! You'd let me stay even though I've been horrible to Forcebearers all my life?"

The Wielder only shrugged at the obvious disbelief in the boy's face. "Yeah, sure. It wasn't your fault to begin with and you said that you didn't like hurting them. Also, I'm not a Forcebearer."

Chan immediately stiffened and hastily moved to the other end of the sofa, out of Jisoo's reach. Jisoo raised his hands to show that he wasn't planning to do anything to him and after a minute of tense silence the boy relaxed slightly.

"You're a Wielder?" he asked nervously, fiddling with the blanket in his lap.

"Yes," Jisoo answered with a calming smile, "though my parents are both Forcebearers, so I'm probably not a very good one."

Chan stayed quiet for a moment and looked around as if he was waiting for someone to jump out and yell 'surprise'. "Where are your Forcebearers?" he finally asked.

"I don't have any," the Wielder said with another shrug, "I've never really felt the need to form a contract."

Chan stared at him, examining his face. "How old are you?" he suddenly asked.

"I'm turning 23 soon." Jisoo wondered what the sudden interest in his person was about and eyed Chan warily who still wouldn't stop staring at him.

"So you've been a Wielder for almost five years and you've never had a single contract?"

"Yes...?"

Chan's whole face lit up and a sudden feeling of dread bloomed in the pit of Jisoo's stomach. "Hyung, let me be your first Bonded!"


	4. First contract

"No! Absolutely not," Jisoo immediately refused, crossing his arms in front of his chest to strengthen the point.

Chan's glowing face fell. "But why?"

"I don't know how to take care of a Forcebearer so I'm definitely not a good option. You should find someone with more experience," the Wielder said sternly.

"But you're already taking care of me and I want to pay you back somehow." Chan's eyes turned wide and pleading and his lips formed a cute little pout. "Please, hyung?"

Jisoo forced himself not to give in and stared at the wall to prevent himself from falling into the younger's trap. "No, Chan. You've only known me for about three hours; don't give away your freedom so easily."

"But you seem like a good person and I'd much rather be bonded to you than get forcebonded by another Wielder." Chan had moved closer while talking, their knees were touching again and his pleading face was even more potent up close.

The Wielder sighed and tried another approach. "I can't afford to house another person. My apartment is tiny and there's barely enough money to cover my rent."

"I can help you out! I can get a job and then there'll be enough money. And I don't mind sleeping on the sofa. I can take care of myself, hyung."

Jisoo snorted and shook his head at the boy's over-enthusiasm. "Life is really not that easy, Chan. People from normal families don't just get a job, we have to go to interviews and work hard. Also it's much harder if you don't have a college degree. Trust me, I've tried it for years before moving to Seoul."

Chan's forehead furrowed in thought. "But if I was your Forcebearer I'd be able to go to university with you and get a degree."

The Wielder rubbed his temples in desperation. "I can't afford to pay your tuition, it's expensive."

"Then I'll get a scholarship," Chan replied full of confidence, as if it was the easiest and most logical thing to do. "I'm a good student and I've been homeschooled by private teachers my whole life, I'm sure I can pull it off. Okay?"

Jisoo buried his face in his hands with a groan while the younger sent him a winning smile. "Let me think about it for a while," came the muffled reply from behind long fingers. Chan's smile got even brighter.

 

Jisoo remembered that he was supposed to go grocery shopping as soon as he opened his fridge to prepare dinner - and only a single sad tomato stared him in the face (sitting next to an almost empty carton of milk). With a low sigh, he closed the fridge again and grabbed his wallet from the kitchen table. Returning to the little living room, he found Chan deeply engrossed in a drama, still cuddling his blanket.

"I'm going to buy some groceries," the Wielder announced and the boy immediately perked up like a puppy.

"Can I come too? It's been years since I last went into a supermarket."

Jisoo sent him a disbelieving look but judging by the hopeful smile on his face he didn't seem to be joking so the Wielder simply nodded. "You can keep wearing my clothes and I'll get you my spare jacket. Try on some of the shoes while I'm searching for it."

 

After everything was settled and Chan was securely wrapped in one of Jisoo's jackets - wearing three pairs of socks, so he would not skid around too badly in Jisoo's sneakers - they left towards the supermarket. By now it was already past 9 and the streets were much less crowded than during daytime.

As soon as they arrived, Chan looked like a child in a toystore. He even grabbed Jisoo's hand to pull him towards several of the aisles that caught his interest, happily pointing out the most mundane things. Especially instant- and cup-noodles seemed to have caught his attention and he stood in front of the shelf with ramyeon for several minutes, diligently studying all the different types and flavours while the Wielder gathered the rest of the much needed groceries.

"I have some money left, you can pick four packets," Jisoo said, walking up behind him.

Chan turned around with glowing cheeks, excitement radiating off of him. "For real?! I've always wanted to try those. I've seen them in dramas so many times but my parents never allowed me to eat them. They called it peasant food." His smile dimmed a little but as soon as he turned towards the shelf it was back in full force. "What should I pick? Recommend me some, hyung."

After spending at least 20 minutes on deciding which ramyeon to buy, they headed towards the check-out, Chan personally carrying his instant-noodles and Jisoo secretly grinning behind him. He felt much better knowing that the younger's mood had improved at least for the moment. The cashier (a pretty rank one Warrior who winked at Jisoo, turning his ears flaming red) handed them their bags and Chan tried everything to get the Wielder to let him carry the heavier one.

Bickering, they walked through the dimly lit side-streets, not noticing the eyes that followed them.

"What are two little Forcebearers doing alone in the dark?" a voice from behind suddenly interrupted their banter.

Jisoo immediately stiffened but pretended not to hear anything. "Let's just go home quickly, ignore him, Chan," he whispered and grabbed the younger's hand when he tried to turn around. Hastily he pulled him along while they hurried down the street.

"It's not nice to ignore someone who's talking to you," another voice said in front of the pair and a second male stepped out of the darkness of a frontyard.

Jisoo stopped and pulled Chan behind him, desperately trying to think of a solution for the current situation - but his brain seemed to be currently out of order. The two males closed in on them while Jisoo tried his best to not look as intimidated as he felt. "W-what do you want? We just spent a-all our money on g-groceries-"

"I'm not interested in your money," the smaller, slightly chubby one said with a grin, spitting out his cigarette butt. He was dressed in a worn down suit, his hair slicked back. "I call myself a collector and the two of you look like you would fit right in."

Jisoo felt his body go numb in fear, not only for himself but mostly for Chan who was still unbonded. "W-we're both already in contracts, you c-can't force us," he lied, feeling Chan's cold fingers tightening around his own sweaty hand.

"Oh, you are? I'm sure you can prove it by showing your mark," the man replied smoothly while the brawny thug next to him took a menacing step closer.

Jisoo gulped and weighted the options. If Chan got caught, he would definitely get forcebonded to the slimeball grinning in front of them but if they found out that Jisoo was a Wielder they would probably only beat him up since he was of no use to them. But how could he get Chan to run while the two men were listening to their every word?

Apparently the patience of the bossy one was wearing thin and he nodded towards his goon who tried to grab Jisoo by the arm. The next few seconds seemed to happen in a blur and before Jisoo could comprehend what was going on, Chan had already flung the heavy man over his shoulder and smashed the head of the thug against the dirty asphalt, successfully knocking him out. Both Jisoo and the apparent boss stared at the boy in astonishment, giving Chan the chance to knock out the second male with a well placed blow to the chin.

Jisoo's legs gave out and he had to sit down on the street for a moment. "W-What-? How-?," he stuttered helplessly while Chan rubbed his knuckles.

"I'm the son of one of the richest men in Korea, of course I know how to protect myself. I've never had to use it until now though, I'm glad it worked." He stretched out his hand and pulled the Wielder up. "I was really scared they'd hurt you, hyung," he said, a look of deep concern on his face.

Jisoo laughed shakily and picked up his bag. "You should've been more worried about yourself; they could've forcebonded you."

Chan shook his head. "I didn't even think about that."

 

When they arrived home, Jisoo immediately brewed tea with plenty of sugar for the both of them while Chan tried to sort the groceries into the kitchen cupboards.

"Maybe we should really form a contract," the Wielder suddenly said, his back turned towards the younger and still busying himself with the teacups, "I really don't want you to end up with someone like that. And if you find a better Wielder we can simply cancel it, right?" He wasn't entirely sure whether he was convincing Chan or himself.

The movement behind him had ceased at his words and Chan's voice was slightly hoarse when he replied. "I'd really like that, hyung."

"Okay." Jisoo took a deep breath before he turned around, holding the two cups of tea. "Okay," he repeated, his voice a bit more confident this time, "a contract is made by blood, right? So we'll need something to cut ourselves with." He walked into the living room and placed the mugs on the coffee table, deep in thought while Chan followed after him.

"How about a needle? I think it it's less painful," the younger proposed. "Although the wound closes immediately after forming the contract anyway."

"Oh really? I didn't know. I think I have a sewing kit somewhere in my room, wait a moment."

 

Jisoo returned with a needle and disinfectant (just to be sure) while Chan lounged on the couch with his blanket, sipping tea and looking rather relaxed. "Aren't you n-nervous at all?" the Wielder asked and sat down next to the boy who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"I want to bond with you so there's not much to be nervous about."

Jisoo bit his lip and tried to push aside all his thoughts of possible failures and catastrophes that could occur as an aftermath but Chan's determination helped him to calm down slightly. "Okay, I'll go first," he said and took a deep breath before pricking his finger. A drop of dark red blood bloomed on his skin and he immediately grimaced at the sight.

"My turn," Chan said with an excited grin and took the needle from him, also poking his finger. When blood became visible, he immediately pressed it to Jisoo's little wound, letting their blood mix.

At first there was nothing - but after a few tension filled seconds something stirred inside the Wielder.

It felt like an invisible string of yarn was wrapping tightly around him, connecting his body and soul to the Forcebearer next to him. It made him feel oddly warm and comforted, driving away a certain emptiness he never had consciously noticed before. Looking over to Chan, it seemed like the boy was still caught up in the sensations the contract had brought and Jisoo briefly wondered if it felt the same for Wielders and Forcebearers.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, bringing the younger's focus back to him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm- I'm not sure. I feel different but I can't really tell the exact difference," Chan answered, sounding a little bit lost. "But it's warm and it feels good," he finished with a shy smile.

Jisoo responded with a bright smile of his own and finally relaxed back into the sofa. "How about you try using your ability? Since you're a Guardian it should be defensive, so hopefully you won't burn down the house."

Chan looked a bit wary but nodded nonetheless. Closing his eyes, he concentrated with furrowed brows and - nothing happened.

After several minutes of trying he opened his eyes again with an incredibly disappointed expression on his face. "Why is it not working?!" He sounded as if he was about to cry and Jisoo immediately wrapped his arms around the younger to comfort him.

"Maybe it needs some time to develop properly or I made a mistake during the bonding? Let's take a look at your mark, if the contract didn't work it won't show your rank, right?" Jisoo tried to look confident and reassuring but inside he was doubting himself and his abilities as a Wielder. Maybe it was better for Chan if the contract hadn't formed the bond after all? But he could still feel the connection to the boy... His thoughts got interrupted by Chan's gasp who had turned his back to Jisoo in order to take off his sock.

"What's wrong? Did it not work?" Jisoo asked, leaning over to get a look at the mark of the younger - but Chan immediately hid his foot beneath the blanket.

"It's okay, don't worry. It worked. You're probably right and the ability needs to develop first," he blurted, his face pale.

The invisible string around Jisoo seemed to tighten and he could clearly feel distress that wasn't his own. "Chan, what's going on? Why are you so freaked out?"

"I'm not freaked out, everything is okay. Maybe we should cook some ramyeon now, I really want to eat it but I've never made it before, hopefully I won't ruin it, haha."

If it wasn't for Chan's rambling and the anxious look in his eyes, it would have been the extremely fake laughter that would have given him away. Jisoo only raised a judging eyebrow and that was enough for Chan's pseudo-happy facade to break.

Tears immediately started flowing, all the exhausting events of the day finally taking their toll. "Hyung, I'm so sorry. Please don't send me away; please don't cancel the contract, I don't know where to go otherwise-"

Jisoo's heart felt as if it was being torn apart, the bond multiplying his motherly need of protecting the boy. "Chan! Chan, shush, stop crying, everything is fine! I'm not going to send you away, please tell me what's wrong," he begged while gathering the younger in his arms once again.

Chan immediately buried his face in the crook of his neck, hot tears tickling Jisoo's skin. "I'nther," was the muffled response.

"Uhm.. sorry, what?" Jisoo was thoroughly confused and worried by now, everything inside him demanding to calm his Bonded down.

Chan finally lifted his wet face after several more tearful seconds had passed and stared right into Jisoo's eyes before he repeated himself. "I'm one of the Others. I'm a five star Forcebearer."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me give you a short recap of the ranking system:
> 
> 5 star ranks are Forcebearers with powers that don't fit into the four categories (rank 1 - 4) listed in the foreword of the story (hence the name The Others). They're rare and strong which is why some Wielders will try everything to 'collect' them (as in: force them into a contract). But an existing contract can only be canceled by the bonded Wielder himself, or by a second Wielder by either a) knocking out the bonded Wielder and bonding the Forcebearer instead, b) killing the bonded Wielder. Which is why Chan is scared that Jisoo will cancel the contract and send him away since he's indirectly endangering Jisoo's life.
> 
> Also some (parts) of the following chapters will be written in the POV of the Seventeen members. It'll switch back to 3rd person afterwards.
> 
> Whenever you have questions please feel free to ask :)


	5. Good Morning

The warm rays of the morning sun tickled my face and woke me up. It was something I hadn't experienced in a while. My parents' Forcebearers had probably forgotten to close the curtains last night - but they already knew I wouldn't rat them out for their mistake.

I shielded my face with my arm and sleepily tried to turn around to hide from the bright light but something heavy and warm restricted my movements. Opening my eyes, it took me a moment to see properly through the haze a good night's sleep always left me with. I focused on the white ceiling above me. A quiet rustle next to me made me turn my head – and I came face to face with a sleeping male.

All the memories crashed down on me at once.

It was physically painful to think about yesterday's incidents, a sharp sting in my heart, and I could already feel the lump forming in my throat. I wasn't at home anymore, this wasn't my room and it wasn't even my own bed I was lying in right now.

A sudden movement snapped me out of my depressed thoughts. The person next to me - my new Wielder, Jisoo; my brain helpfully supplied - had used his arm (that had stopped me from turning earlier, for such a thin appendage it was surprisingly heavy) to pull me closer, wrapping his limbs around me like a koala. It was as if he could feel my sadness even though he was still fast asleep. But that wasn't possible, was it?

I watched his peaceful face, his pink lips slightly parted and his dark lashes a pretty contrast against his pale skin. Jisoo was undoubtedly a beautiful human being, inside and out. I still remembered vividly how he had tried to hide me behind him on the street yesterday while we got attacked. Not many people would do that, much less for a stranger. And not to forget the many times he had consoled me after taking me in - just thinking about it made my heart flutter a little.

Jisoo had shown more compassion and interest in me than anyone ever before, including my family - which was kind of sad, really, considering that I had only known him for less than 24 hours.

He was a bit too close to me now though, I wasn't exactly sure how to handle this type of situation. Jisoo had hugged me yesterday too but somehow that had felt much less ... intense? It felt so intimate to get cuddled while lying in bed together with his breath hitting my cheek - it made me feel all kinds of things. Things I should most definitely not feel for my Wielder.

Speaking of Wielder - the thought of being a Forcebearer was still odd to me. Especially the shock of finding out about being a rank five had made it seem all the more unreal. I was still really curious about my ability though. I knew it was there, I had felt it unlock the moment Jisoo's and my blood had mixed, but I just couldn't seem to grasp it properly.

Did all Forcebearers have those kind of problems in the beginning? I should have asked the servants of my parents but I had always been too busy preparing to be a Wielder instead of giving much thought to the experiences of Forcebearers. Maybe I wasn't as different from the rest of my family as I had imagined to be...

What a scary thought.

I closed my eyes and tried once again to activate my ability. It simply pulsed a few times, taunting me just like it had yesterday. But I wasn't called stubborn for nothing, so I took a deep breath and concentrated. I could feel it deep in my chest and I imagined to grab onto it, to hold it between my fingers, before I pushed it out of my body with as much strength as I could muster.

With bated breath, I peeked through my lashes, prepared to see something, anything - but nothing had happened once again.

Damn it!

I punched the mattress in frustration, completely forgetting about Jisoo next to me. Fortunately he only mumbled something incoherent at my movement and snuggled even closer, his forehead and nose now pressed against my burning cheek.

After a few seconds of pretending to be dead, I relaxed slightly and dared to breathe again. Was it normal for a guy to smell so good? I immediately shuddered at my own random thought. This situation was definitely a bit too much for me to handle in the early morning. I had told Jisoo last night that it was okay for me to sleep on the couch but we had found out shortly after that he only owned a single blanket so he had forced me to share his bed.

The life of regular people was definitely very different to what I was used to. But it was also interesting and as long as Jisoo was here to help me out I was sure I could do anything.

Weird how such a thin and generally soft-hearted person like him could make me feel safe.

He was completely different from all the Wielders I had gotten to know over the years, regardless if they were friendly towards their Bonded or not. He was neither very dominant nor outgoing, characteristics most Wielders seemed to share. Also there wasn't even a hint of superiority in his behaviour. It was no surprise that he got mistaken for a Forcebearer, really. What worried me was that people seemed to be interested in him even though he gave the typical impression of a low ranking Guardian. Usually Wielders passed by anyone who was below rank three without even sparing them a glance but I had seen the stares he had received in the supermarket yesterday - the ones he seemed to be completely oblivious of - and the fact that we of all people had gotten jumped in the street worried me even more.

I carefully turned a little towards Jisoo, just enough to place my arm over his chest in a sad attempt to make myself feel like I could protect him from harm. How would I even manage to do that? Me, a Guardian without an ability? But I was genuinely scared now, scared that something might happen to my kind and gentle Wielder who was so unlike anyone else I had known so far.

 

Jisoo's ears were still bright red while preparing our breakfast. The poor guy had been incredibly flustered after waking up with his face pressed to mine and had almost fallen out of the bed in his haste to get away. Playing with the cutlery, I watched him from the little kitchen table where he had seated me after I had told him that I had never cooked in my life.

"I've slept really well, hyung. Thank you for offering your bed to me," I said in the most innocent tone I could muster, biting back a laugh when his nape turned as red as his ears and he decidedly didn't turn around to answer.

"I'm g-glad to hear that but maybe we should b-buy a second blanket today. I can sleep on the sofa i-if you prefer the bed."

I couldn't stop a smile from spreading over my face at his words. Everything in this answer was just so _Jisoo_ , it made warmth pool in my stomach. It hadn't taken me long to notice his tendency to stutter when he was nervous so I decided not to tease him any further. "No, it's okay. I really don't mind taking the sofa. I don't want you to be uncomfortable." I meant that in more ways than one. "What's the plan for today?"

I could feel him relax at the change of topic, something in my chest seemed to immediately get lighter. It was interesting how much the bond actually connected us; the Forcebearers I knew had never talked about sharing emotions with their Wielders. But maybe that was because most of these bonds had been forced onto them.

Jisoo turned towards me with the pan, spatula still in his hand, and transferred a generous amount of bacon and eggs onto my plate. I noticed that he had left much less food for himself. "I'll take you with me to university today so we can talk to the secretary about enrolling you and possible scholarships. I'm glad that your mark's not visible though, that would've been a problem."

While he was facing the sink to fill water into the pan I stealthily placed some of my breakfast on his plate, immediately smiling innocently and stuffing some egg into my mouth when he turned around. "It's really good, hyung," I said after swallowing, giving him a thumbs up before wolfing down another bite. He smiled brightly, as if I had given him the best compliment in the world, immediately making my heart flutter once again.

 

I really needed to buy some clothes. I looked like a hobo wearing Jisoo's oversized clothing and I felt extremely self-conscious while walking through the crowded corridors of his university. My mother would collapse if she could see me now, she had always been the one who had kept the public image of my family in check. I wondered how she was going to explain the sudden disappearance of her youngest son - probably something about studying overseas. I snorted at that thought and Jisoo sent me a worried glance but I just smiled back to reassure him.

"We're here," he said after a few minutes of silent walking and stopped in front of the university's office. He looked more nervous than I felt so I took the initiative and knocked. After waiting for a few seconds, I opened the door.

The elderly secretary looked up with furrowed brows but as soon as she saw Jisoo, a smile lit up her face. "Jisoo, what brings you here? Are there any problems?"

Jisoo was visibly flustered at her overly concerned tone. "N-no Mrs. Lee, I was just wondering if it's possible t-to enrol my Forcebearer? And maybe you could tell me how to g-get a scholarship?"

Her smile got even wider and she looked like she wanted to pinch his cheek - I didn't like that old bat one bit. "But of course, sit down and we can fill out the paperwork together."

Like the good Forcebearer I was, I kept standing behind Jisoo's chair, forcing an indifferent expression on my face and answering questions only when I was asked by either my Wielder or the secretary.

I hated every second of it.

 

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that," Jisoo apologized for the third time while we walked towards his class.

I only shrugged with a sigh and tried to shake off my bad mood. "Stop apologizing, hyung. That's just the way it is and I'll have to live with it. I'm just glad you could talk her out of examining my mark, she seems like the type of person who loves to gossip."

Jisoo opened his mouth to answer (probably to defend the old bat somehow) while he walked around the next corner - only to run face-first into a broad chest. Before I could catch him, the other guy had already wrapped his arms around his slim waist.

"If it isn't my favourite little Wielder. How ya doing?"

Jisoo turned visibly pale and stumbled backwards, trying to get out of the stranger's grip. I felt my eye twitch at the sudden feeling of anxiety that flooded my system - and at the smug smile of the idiot in front of us. "Jackson! I'm s-so sorry, I didn't see you! Thank you for catching me b-but you can let go now, I'm fine..." Jisoo finished meekly. The tall guy behind Jackson laughed at my Wielder's obvious fear and I had the sudden urge to punch him in the face.

"Ah, but I really enjoy holding you, should do it more often," Jackson said, pressing Jisoo even closer to his body before he turned his attention to me. "And who's that? Another newbie?"

I immediately stepped forward but compared to Jackson's muscular built and the height of his lackey, I probably looked like a stick figure - that didn't stop me from throwing them threatening glares though. It was pretty obvious that Jackson was a Wielder and judging by Jisoo's negative reaction a rather strong one. "I'm Chan. Would be nice if you would let my Wielder breathe a little."

Jackson raised an eyebrow, his smug grin quickly vanishing. "You got quite a mouth for a Forcebearer, don't ya? Maybe Yugyeom here needs to put you back in your place."

Jisoo had used the moment of distraction to wiggle out of Jackson's grip and immediately stepped between me and the tall guy who had moved closer with a dark look on his face. "H-He was just worried about me, please stop! He's my Guardian and I d-don't want him to get hurt," Jisoo said desperately and it pained me to once again see him so anxious for my sake. If only I had an offensive power, he wouldn't have to worry so much.

I assessed the Forcebearer called Yugyeom over Jisoo's shoulder and he sent me a smirk as soon as he noticed my stare. His whole demeanour screamed Warrior, probably rank three or higher based on his arrogance.

"You really should get outta the way," Jackson said casually. "He uses electricity and trust me, it hurts when he zaps your ass. And he's damn good at what he's doing too, even small electrical impulses are enough to kickstart his power."

Well, at least now I knew that he was indeed a rank three, not something that necessarily soothed my nerves - I was good at martial arts but I stood no chance against powerful abilities.

Jisoo began to shake slightly at the sight of the sparks that had started to run over Yugyeom's skin, dancing between his fingers and in his hair, but he didn't move a single inch from his place in front of me. "I'm not letting you hurt my Forcebearer," he said, his voice surprisingly stable and it immediately helped calming me down.

He was my Wielder and he stood up for me, I had definitely made the right choice in bonding with him. I wouldn't let him get hurt.

"Gonna learn it the hard way, I see," Jackson said, a manic grin spreading on his face and with a single nod the Warrior immediately charged towards Jisoo.

But before he could reach him, I had already pushed my Wielder out of the way, fully prepared for the crippling pain of high voltage electricity running through my body. As soon as Yugyeom's hands connected with my chest, my ability flared up, more powerful than ever before.

 


	6. Group project

"Chan!" Jisoo screamed, getting up as fast as possible from where he had fallen to the floor. He could only see the profile of the two Forcebearers whose bodies were interlocked in an almost intimate way - Yugyeom's hands placed flat on the Guardian's chest and Chan holding the Warrior's arms, their faces only inches apart. Jackson was laughing behind the Wielder but his laughter held no happiness, only cold amusement. Jisoo didn't dare to look away, afraid to see his Bonded crumble to the ground, shaking in agony - but Yugyeom seemed to be playing with his victim, prolonging the anticipation for the final blow.

Jackson clearly did not like that. "Come on, finish up. I need to get to class," he said after a few more seconds of standstill, annoyance dripping from his voice.

"I... I can't." Yugyeom's incredulous statement sounded more like a question and Jisoo watched with bated breath as a look of horror overtook the Warrior's face. His body had stopped sparking, there was not even a hint of electricity visible around him anymore.

"What the hell do you mean, 'you can't'?!" Jackson was fuming by now, perceiving his Warrior's helplessness as disobedience.

Yugyeom turned even paler at his Wielder's wrath and Jisoo's heart went out to the young Forcebearer even though he had just tried to harm his Bonded. "My ability, it's not working."

At his words, Chan finally seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had been in. A cruel grin that Jisoo had never seen on him before spread over his face. Chan didn't look like the young innocent boy anymore who had happily praised his scrambled eggs and who had cried bitter tears because his family had left him; his eyes held a spark of something dark that had been released deep inside of him.

Jisoo was scared. For Yugyeom's sake, who had simply followed Jackson's orders, and for Chan's, who had seemingly lost himself in a rush of adrenaline.

"Let's finish this," the Guardian said, the wide grin still on his lips as he retracted his arm to deliver a punch.

"Goddamnit, just fucking knock the shrimp out then!" Jackson shouted, his face an angry red.

"Chan, stop!" Jisoo cried at the same time, desperately trying to reach his Bonded - but it was too late. Chan's fist crashed into Yugyeom's jaw with a sickening sound and the Warrior stumbled backwards, against the wall of the hallway, barely able to stand and his eyes unfocused. The small Guardian snickered and stalked towards him while shaking out his hand with the clear intent of ending the match.

But thin arms wrapped around his chest from behind, stopping him mid-step. "Chan, that's enough," Jisoo said firmly, his voice holding enough authority to make the younger obey immediately. "Stay back, I'm going to sort this out." Jisoo stepped around his Forcebearer and worriedly walked over to Yugyeom who still looked dazed, dark red splotches blooming on his jaw.

"Hands off, sweetcheeks, the useless one is mine," came the arrogant voice of Jackson from behind.

Hot anger flared up inside Jisoo's chest and he turned around to face the other Wielder. "Useless?! What the heck, Jackson! You're the one who forced him to fight and look at the state he's in now!"

Jackson sauntered over to his Bonded and took a short look at his already bruising face. "He's looked worse," he dismissed with a shrug before he turned his hungry gaze towards Chan who still stood motionlessly where Jisoo had left him. "Sooo... You scored yourself one of the Others, huh? And with a nullification-ability, good catch. I underestimated him because he's tiny but I won't make that mistake again." He grinned. "But you're kinda weak, y'know. Think you can stop him from getting taken?"

"I'll try my best," Jisoo replied coldly, his eyes never leaving Jackson while he moved in front of Chan who by now looked a bit more like himself again.

"The little squirt will only bring problems. Y'know, you could get yourself a low ranking Warrior instead, then you wouldn't have any worries anymore. Would you hand him over if I asked you nicely?" Jackson proposed with an overly sweet smile, taking a daring step in Jisoo's direction.

"Forcebearers are not pets, Jackson," Jisoo said with a dark scowl while Chan moved closer to him and leaned into his side, interlacing their fingers.

Jackson scoffed. "You sure? Hell, he behaves like a puppy right now. Disgusting."

Jisoo felt Chan stiffen at those words and he squeezed his hand before calmly closing the gap that separated him from Jackson.

 _Wham_.

Jisoo's palm burned from the force he had used but the red imprint on the other Wielder's face was well worth it. "You should bring Yugyeom to the infirmary now, he might have a concussion," Jisoo said before walking away, his hand once again interlocked with Chan's - leaving behind a dumb-founded Jackson cradling his cheek.

 

For the second time in two days Jisoo had fled into the library before the start of his afternoon class but this time he had brought along Chan who was still rather quiet. Hiding in the corner furthest away from the librarian, he sat the younger on a chair and kneeled in front of him. "Chan, can you hear me? Are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

The Guardian's eyes had lost their cold sparkle and he only looked exhausted now, exhausted and incredibly young. "Hyung... What's happening to me?" he asked, his voice breaking and his eyes welling up with tears. Sadness washed over Jisoo, Chan's and his own. "I felt like I was indestructible, it felt so good but it was also really scary... I think I really _am_ the same as my family. I get drunk on power," the younger whispered, purposefully avoiding the eyes of his Wielder, too scared to see disappointment reflected in them. "Thank you for stopping me before I could hurt him more."

"Chan, look at me." Jisoo waited patiently until Chan had lifted his head, an anxious look on his face. The Wielder smiled at his Bonded and patted his knee. "You lost control but that's something that could happen to anyone. You stopped when I held you back and listened to me out of your own free will, that's the most important part. Don't beat yourself up over your mistakes."

Chan still looked unconvinced, his forehead wrinkled in a frown and his nose red. "But I'm supposed to be a Guardian, not a Warrior. I should protect, not fight."

"You fought because someone attacked you, I think that's a legitimate reason," Jisoo said calmly.

"So you're not mad at me?" Chan asked, his voice merely a whisper and his eyes wet once again.

Jisoo only laughed and got up to give him a hug. The younger used the chance to bury his face in the crook of his Wielder's neck. "Of course not. I'm so glad that you're okay, I was really worried when Yugyeom tried to electrocute you. Let's just try to stay out of Jackson's way."

Chan laughed against the soft skin of Jisoo's throat, prompting a little shudder to run down the elder's spine. "Your slap was really impressive, hyung. I'll make sure not to piss you off in the future."

Jisoo sputtered and blushed at his words.

 

After he had sent a grumpy Chan home with the passcode to his apartment and some money to buy necessities - preceded by a long discussion about whether the Wielder was safe alone at university or not, which Jisoo had cut off by playing the age-card and by reminding the younger that he was not yet allowed in his classes anyway - he went to his final class for the day, completely forgetting about the dreaded group assignment that was coming up.

The painful realisation set in as soon as the professor opened his mouth. "As I've already told you yesterday, you'll be doing a project instead of writing a midterm exam. To make sure that nobody gets left out, I've prepared the groups. Please stand up when I call your name, so that your group members can find you afterwards."

Jisoo gulped and looked around, anxiously wondering who he might get paired up with.

"Group four: Hong Jisoo." He stumbled to his feet, his heart beating way too fast already. "Kim Seokmin, Kim Youngwoon and Lee Jihoon."

His stomach seemed to drop to his feet when the bulky student rose who had stepped all over his notes yesterday. Jisoo swallowed heavily and avoided his stare, instead looking for the remaining group members. A glimmer of hope lit up when he noticed that the nice student with the wide smile who had helped him gather his papers had gotten up as well. The fourth one was a small, rather young looking Wielder with a cute round face but piercing dark eyes, his key mark peeking out from the collar of his shirt.

After the professor had finished, the groups had time to start planning their projects. With a jittery feeling in his stomach, Jisoo stepped closer to the table the others had already gathered around, shrinking a little at the looks thrown in his direction by two of the members. "H-hello, I'm Jisoo. Nice to meet you," he introduced himself with a nervous smile and a little bow.

The tall student who always seemed to be happy grinned and waved. "Ah you're the one with the bag yesterday! Hi, I'm Seokmin." Jisoo relaxed a little at his easygoing attitude - until he met the glare of the bulky student. Seokmin sighed, his smile a little less bright once again. "And this is Youngwoon but he prefers to go by Kangin. He's my Wielder." Jisoo only awkwardly nodded, still intimidated by the other's aggressive behaviour.

"My name's Jihoon," the small Wielder said in a bored tone. "My Forcebearers are in this class too but they're in group six. What are you?"

Jisoo was caught offguard by the sudden question thrown in his direction. "Um... E-excuse me?"

"Are you a Forcebearer?" Jihoon asked boldly, his intense eyes not leaving Jisoo's face.

"N-no, I'm a Wielder," he answered with another nervous smile, fiddling with his bag to calm himself down.

"Then stop being so fidgety and behave like one. You're pathetic," Kangin scoffed, his gaze now more contemptuous than angry. Jisoo blushed in shame and bit his lip to prevent himself from tearing up. He had never wanted to be a Wielder in the first place and why did it matter to this Kangin-person anyway? He knew that he wasn't the most impressive Wielder out there, which was exactly why he had been so against forming a contract with Chan, but hearing it from someone else still hurt.

"Now, now," Seokmin hastily interfered, "let's all get along. We have to finish this project to pass the class. Does anyone have a good idea for the topic already?"

Jisoo kept quiet for the remaining time, only contributing when he was asked. That didn't stop Kangin from making offhanded remarks about him though, each weighing heavily on his heart.

 

After class, when Jihoon and Kangin had already left, Seokmin once again stepped up to his side. "Don't take Kangin's words seriously, he's a bully and he likes to pick on people he deems weaker than him. I tried to get rid of that habit but I think it's part of his personality." Seokmin sent Jisoo a warm smile and rested his hand on the Wielder's shoulder. "I'm glad to have you in my group. I think we'll get along well."

Warmth flooded Jisoo's body, running down his spine in little tingles, and he couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you Seokmin, I'm glad to have you as my partner as well."

 

When Jisoo opened the door to his apartment, he was met with smoke and the smell of something burning. Thoroughly scared, he ran into the living room without taking off his shoes or jacket, trying to determine the source of the fire. "Chan?! Are you here?" he called worriedly while trying to suppress a coughing-fit.

The kitchen door opened and out stepped the Guardian, looking sheepish. "Oh, hi hyung, you're back early."

"What's that smell?" Jisoo asked sternly - secretly relieved that the other was still alive and not burnt to a crisp.

"Um... I thought that you'd be hungry after university so I tried to make the ramyeon we bought yesterday, but it didn't go so well..." Chan scratched his nape and hung his head in shame.

The Wielder stepped around him to take a look at his kitchen, only to find one of his pots completely ruined and his whole stove flooded with soup. "Let me guess. You used the highest heat setting and the soup boiled over. And while you were busy wiping it away, the rest of the soup evaporated and the noodles turned into charcoal?" he asked slightly amused while opening the kitchen windows as far as possible.

Chan flushed and nodded. "I'm sorry, hyung. I brought you so much trouble today."

"Well, it distracts me from my group project which is a plus," Jisoo sighed, "but please promise me not to cook anymore while you're alone at home."

 

After Jisoo had taught Chan how to properly cook instant-noodles and the Forcebearer had happily finished two of the three packets all by himself ("They're so good, I want to eat them everyday." - "No, that's unhealthy." - "But hyuuuuung..."), the two boys watched TV, cuddled up on the sofa until exhaustion caught up to them. Chan was the first one who couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and he fell asleep with his head resting against his Wielder's shoulder, nuzzling against the elder's collarbone from time to time. Jisoo followed not long after, his arms wrapped around Chan's warm body and his face buried in his soft hair.


	7. Letter

Almost a week had passed since the encounter with Jackson and his Forcebearer. Jisoo had worried a lot about the consequences of revealing Chan's rank to someone as greedy for power as Jackson but weirdly enough, he seemed to have somewhat calmed down and even greeted Jisoo from time to time in an almost friendly manner when they walked past each other in the hallways.

Jisoo also had made a point of visiting Yugyeom after one of his classes and had apologized to the flabbergasted Warrior on behalf of Chan (the younger hadn't liked that one bit when Jisoo had told him at dinner). Yugyeom's blush had gotten darker with each word that had left the Wielder's lips and he had even attempted to defend Chan's actions but Jisoo had resolutely told him that the Guardian's obvious thirst for blood had been out of line. He had left a very confused - but also very happy - Forcebearer behind, who had held ointment that was supposed to help against bruising, a parting gift from Jisoo. Ever since then, the Wielder had gained a loyal fan (Jisoo would've preferred to call him a friend but Yugyeom behaved too much like a starstruck fanboy whenever he saw him - the people in Jackson's group watched him with disdain but didn't interfere).

Also, there was still the matter of the group project. Jisoo attended that particular class three times a week, which was three times too many in his eyes. Although he didn't mind Seokmin's presence at all (far from it actually, they got along well and seemed to hold the same interests, something Jisoo was incredibly grateful for), it was quite a different matter when it came to Jihoon and Kangin. Jihoon had turned out to be a perfectionist, which translated into constant nagging as soon as he wasn't satisfied with the progress their project was making. Besides, during the group session on Thursday he had blown up twice, revealing that he had quite a frightening temper hidden in his small body. Not even Kangin had dared to say anything when Jihoon had started screaming. Apart from that, Kangin was his usual cruel self. He seemed to respect Jihoon as a Wielder and Seokmin as a Forcebearer but when it came to Jisoo, he loved to rub his flaws into the poor Wielder's face - but only when Seokmin wasn't in earshot, Jihoon couldn't care less about the bullying. Jisoo had tried to fight back at first but after some fruitless struggle he had decided to ignore the scathing remarks even though they tore at his heart.

Therefore, he was absolutely not looking forward to meeting his group again later that day when he opened his eyes on a grey Monday morning. He groaned quietly at the thought of what he would have to endure and snuggled closer to Chan who was still deeply asleep.

They had formed the habit of sleeping in the same bed after they had fallen asleep together on the couch multiple times, usually waking up with stiff necks and numb limbs sometime during the night. And Jisoo had to admit: he really liked it. It was nice to have someone to talk to before drifting off into dreamland and their initial reluctance when it came to cuddling and touching in general was pretty much non-existent by now (although it hadn't been very present in the beginning either, both of them liked physical contact).

Their bond had strengthened through it as well. It was now possible for them to feel even light distress of the other over a significant distance. Chan had been incredibly worried after feeling Jisoo's anxiety during the last group project session and had insisted on buying new phones the very same day, so they could call each other in case of emergency. Fortunately they had found two cheap but already rather outdated devices they could afford in a small shop for used electrical equipment. The Guardian had spent two days trying to explain the magic that was a smartphone to a clueless Jisoo.

The one week that Chan had spent with Jisoo also had revealed a playful side in him, even he had not known of before. He loved teasing his Wielder, because he knew that Jisoo wouldn't be mad and he enjoyed nothing more than getting a little stutter out of him. Yet, without Jisoo noticing, Chan had also turned quite protective of the elder. From day one he had known that Jisoo was a very kind and gentle person - albeit somewhat clueless and naive, which wasn't necessarily a good combination - and this impression had only grown stronger as time had passed. Chan blamed his status as a Guardian for his secret desire of wrapping the other in blankets and hiding him from the evil of the world.

Chan's alarm started ringing on the bedside table and it only made Jisoo pull the blanket further over his head to block out the sound.

"Morning hyung," the Guardian's muffled voice reached his ears, before the warm cover got pulled away and Jisoo squeaked at the coldness that hit him, "rise and shine!"

"I don't wanna go to class, Channie," he whined, his eyes still closed and his body curled into a protective ball against the cold air.

The younger snorted next to him and poked his cheek. "Are you sure you're older? But yeah, stay in bed. I'll go to university alone and take the test without your support." He fake-sniffed, pretending to be hurt.

Jisoo's eyes shot open and he sat up at once. "Oh god, that's today! Why are you still here, get dressed!"

Chan only laughed at him and left to take a shower.

 

They arrived at university just in time for Chan to get called into the office while the Wielder went to class with a fluttery stomach. He tried to calm himself, just in case he would project his nervousness through their bond and also because he believed in Chan. While Jisoo had worked at his part-time job during the weekend, the younger had spent his time in the library preparing for the entrance exam that hopefully would grant him a scholarship if he scored high enough.

Up until lunch break, Jisoo was completely distracted from class which brought him a scolding from his professor because he hadn't reacted to the question he had been asked. As soon as it was time to leave, he jumped up and sprinted towards the office, narrowly missing other students on his way. Breathlessly he arrived but Chan was nowhere to be seen yet, so he decided to sit down for a bit.

He had just made himself comfortable and had opened the book he was currently reading for his class when a big body loomed over him, blocking out the light.

Uneasily he looked up, only to feel relief flooding him at the sight of Yongguk's gummy smile. "Hey Jisoo," the tall student greeted, "it's good to see you again."

"Yongguk! Nice to see you too! How have you been?"

"Good so far, thanks. Say, did you have lunch already? I didn't forget my promise yet," Yongguk said and winked at Jisoo whose face immediately grew hot.

"Um... a-actually I'm-"

"He's waiting for me. And he said we would eat lunch together, _right,_ _hyung_?" came Chan's voice from behind Yongguk's broad back.

Yongguk turned around and regarded the Guardian with curiosity while Chan openly glared at him. "Oh, and who are you?"

"I'm Chan, his Forcebearer," the younger said with a certain air of pride, "and it's my first day here, I need him as my guide."

Yongguk looked like he was trying hard not to laugh at the scowling Guardian while Jisoo hid his face in his hands - which made his glowing red ears all the more obvious. "I see," Yongguk said after compsing himself, "I'd ask you to join us and my friends but it seems like you want some quality time with your Wielder." He allowed himself a little grin at Chan's pink cheeks. "Okay then Jisoo, maybe we can have lunch tomorrow instead. See you!" And with that, he walked away.

"Chaaaaan," Jisoo groaned, after he had made sure that Yongguk was out of earshot, "why did you do that? He's the first person to actually properly talk to me in this university."

The younger huffed, his cheeks still tinted pink. "You don't need him, you have me now. My exam went well by the way, thanks for asking." He grumpily crossed his arms and turned away from his Wielder and only a bribe with chocolate pudding was able to lift his mood.

 

Chan was still happily munching on his dessert when they arrived at Jisoo's locker. Since the Guardian was not an official student yet, he still wasn't allowed in Jisoo's classes, therefore they had decided that he would go home first once again. They were talking about what to cook for dinner when Jisoo entered the combination in his lock and opened the door. A piece of paper, folded twice, laid innocently on top of his books.

Jisoo scratched his head in confusion. "Huh? I don't remember leaving that there?"

Chan curiously peeked over his shoulder, leaning his full body weight on the other's back and almost causing him to topple into his locker. "What is it? A love letter?"

Jisoo lightly elbowed him in the side and reached for the paper that was cleanly ripped out of a notepad. He unfolded it with slightly shaky fingers, nearly dropping it in the process.

_You'll meet two interesting people on your way home, give them a chance and take good care of them, Jisoo.  
Congrats for getting the scholarship, Chan._

"What's this? Is someone playing a prank or something?" Chan asked, slightly disturbed by the message.

"I don't know? I don't think so. Most people here don't know me and even less people know you. Only Jackson, Yugyeom and Yongguk."

"And the secretary, don't forget the secretary! I didn't like her from the start," the Guardian said dramatically but Jisoo only rolled his eyes at him. Chan got serious and frowned. "Do you think it's a threat?"

Jisoo read the letter again, frowning as well. "Hm, it doesn't sound like one. Also, did the writer misunderstand something? You don't have a scholarship yet."

"Who cares about the scholarship?! I'm going to wait for you and we'll walk home together, I'm not letting you walk on your own after that," Chan said fiercely and Jisoo only smiled and ruffled the younger's hair in response, happy that his Guardian worried so much about his safety.

 

Jisoo trudged towards his dreaded group-project class while Chan was on high-alert next to him. They had decided that he would go to a coffee shop nearby and wait for his Wielder there (well, Jisoo had. If Chan had gotten his way, he would be waiting outside the classroom instead - just in case).

"Jisoo-hyung!" A blur almost tackled the Wielder, but Chan prevented the collision by pulling Jisoo out of the way. Instead, Yugyeom landed face-first on the floor while the Guardian grinned down on him in satisfaction.

Jisoo worriedly kneeled down next to him, but the young Warrior seemed completely unfazed by his fall. "Did you hurt yourself? You really need to be more careful, your face has just begun to heal," the Wielder scolded. 

Yugyeom grinned brightly. "Sorry hyung, I'll be more careful next time. I'm just happy to see you. I haven't seen you the whole weekend and I've really missed you." Chan pretended to throw up behind Jisoo's back and Yugyeom gave him the stink-eye over the Wielder's shoulder, who was busy examining a tear in the Warrior's jeans.

"Hyung, we need to hurry. Your class is starting," Chan said in a rather annoyed tone, startling Jisoo into action.

"Oh god, I'll be late, Kangin will kill me. Sorry Yugyeom, but I really need to go."

"Sure thing hyung, see you tomorrow!"

 

The one who looked about ready to kill was not Kangin but Jihoon when Jisoo finally stepped through the door of his class (after forcing Chan to leave).

"You are 15 minutes late for our group meeting," he growled in a dangerously low voice and Jisoo immediately wanted to hide in a hole.

"I-I'm sorry, it won't happen a-again," he stammered while Kangin openly laughed at him and Seokmin sent sympathetic glances.

Jihoon had just opened his mouth to start a rant when he got disrupted by a deep voice. "Ji, did you bring your marker? I forgot mine at home."

Jihoon closed his eyes and rubbed his temples before he turned around. "What's wrong with your brain, seriously? I even reminded you during breakfast." The handsome guy with dark hair and puppy eyes simply shrugged, a carefree grin on his face and Jihoon clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"It's not his fault, he got dropped as a baby," another voice chimed in and a beautiful student with long silky hair slung his arm around the dark haired one. Jisoo held his breath when cat-like eyes landed on him, twinkling mischievously before they focused on Jihoon.

"Are you here to annoy me too?" Jihoon asked with a glare. "Because I have a project to finish."

"Nope," the pretty one popped the p - a gesture that made Jihoon's eye twitch, "just thought we should introduce ourselves to your new friends."

"Do it and get lost," Jihoon said and turned back towards his group-members, decidedly ignoring the two students behind him.

"That's not a nice thing to say to your loyal Forcebearers," Puppy-eyes said, pretending to feel hurt, but his full lips immediately stretched into a wide smile when he directed his gaze towards the onlooking students. "Hi, I'm Seungcheol, rank two Warrior."

"And I'm Jeonghan, rank two as well." Both of them waved enthusiastically and Jisoo couldn't help but wave back, immediately regretting it after receiving a stare from Jihoon.

"I'm Seokmin and this is Kangin, my Wielder," Seokmin said, showing off his eyesmile while Kangin only nodded, not at all interested in meeting two-star Forcebearers.

"And who are you?" Seungcheol asked after a few seconds of waiting, his eyes locked on Jisoo who felt like a deer in the headlights when everyone turned to look at him.

"I-I'm Jisoo, n-nice to meet you."

"Aw, you're so cute!" Jeonghan immediately gushed. "Are you a Guardian? Which rank are you?"

Jisoo felt a dreadful sense of déjà vu wash over him at that question, but before he could answer, Jihoon cut him off. "He's a Wielder. Cheol, take the damn marker and go back to your own group."

Seungcheol caught the pen Jihoon had thrown at him and saluted. "Aye aye, Sir!"

Jeonghan looked slightly disappointed at the prospect of leaving. "Maybe you should bring your group members over to our flat from time to time? You'll have to work on the project outside of classes anyway and there's plenty of space in the living room," he proposed, the mischievous spark back in his eyes.

Jihoon immediately stiffened and turned towards the Warrior, an angry look on his face. "Stop it. Nobody is coming to our flat."

"Why not? It's more comfortable than the library anyway," Jeonghan said innocently before he leaned down and whispered something in Jihoon's ear who turned slightly pale in response.

"Fine," he finally said after about a minute of silence in which Jeonghan played with his hair. "Fine. Have it your fucking way." He faced his waiting group members. "Let's just stop for today, I'm not in the mood to finish this crap. Come to my house tomorrow, I'll email you the address." The pretty Warrior left with a satisfied smile, followed by a murderous-looking Jihoon.

Jisoo just sat there, slightly dumbfounded, until Seokmin opened his mouth, his face a perfect portrayal of the confusion Jisoo felt. "Uhm... what just happened?"


	8. Masked

It took the Wielder a while to find Chan in the dimly lit coffee shop, especially since the younger was sleeping soundly with his face buried in a book he had gotten from the library. Jisoo caressed his shoulder until he had found his way back into reality and was looking at his Wielder with bleary eyes. "Why are you..." a massive yawn followed, quickly hidden behind his hand after noticing Jisoo's disapproving look, "...already here? Doesn't your class end at 5?"

The Wielder sighed and sat down across from Chan, stealing a sip from his cup of by now cold caramel macchiato. "Jihoon was in a really bad mood, so he stopped the meeting and told us to come to his house tomorrow instead. It was weird though, his Warrior pretty much forced him to invite us."

The Guardian looked much more alert after hearing those news. "He wants you to come over? To him and his Forcebearers? Are you sure it's a good idea?"

Jisoo groaned and buried his head in his arms. "I don't think so but he's the groupleader. I really can't say no; he hates me already anyway," he said, his voice muffled by his jacket.

Chan could feel the sadness radiating from his Wielder and bit his lip in thought. "Do you think I can join?"

Jisoo lifted his head slightly. "That would be nice. I don't want to be the only one without a Forcebearer." He sighed again. "But he and Kangin are both Wielders and I don't think it would be a good idea for you to get close to them. Especially not to Kangin," he finished somewhat bitterly, his chin now resting on his arm.

"Eh, I can just lie about my rank; as long as I don't take off my socks it won't be a problem. Please ask them, hyung? I don't want you to be alone with them again, it always makes you so sad..." Chan pouted to emphasise his point and Jisoo couldn't help but smile at the concerned look in the younger's eyes.

"Thanks Channie, I'll ask Jihoon when I get his email. Let's go home now, I'm tired too."

 

Although they had been warned - well, somewhat - through the letter earlier, the attack still came as a surprise.

Since neither of them knew exactly what would await them on their way home, they had tried to stay vigilant, but Chan was still drowsy from his nap at the coffee shop after the exhausting exam and Jisoo was tired after several hours of classes - therefore neither of them noticed the two shadows that followed them on their way through the backstreets. In hindsight, Jisoo thought that it would have been intelligent to simply walk on the crowded main street instead, but well, people learn from their mistakes.

The only thing Jisoo felt was someone harshly pushing him before he found himself sprawled on the dirty road - his hands and knees scratched and bloody while Chan screamed his name in shock. He hastily turned around, ignoring the sting in his palms when they once again came in contact with the wet asphalt, to find his Guardian grabbed by two men in dark hoodies, the lower half of their faces obscured by face masks. His stomach plummeted when he noticed the knife. It was neither a very big nor a very impressive knife, but the close proximity of the gleaming blade to Chan's face made it look at least three times as frightening.

"W-what do you want?" Jisoo dared to ask after a moment of standstill, his voice constricted by fear.

"Give me your stuff. Money, cards, phone, whatever you have," the one with the knife said, "and no bullshit. If one of you is bonded and uses his ability, you're both dead."

Jisoo was shaking by now while Chan stayed eerily calm - but the Wielder could feel his anger raging through their bond. "I-It's in my backpack. Please take it and let him go. He's my Guardian, p-please don't hurt him."

The two robbers shared a look of obvious disbelief over Chan's head. "If you think you can get me to come closer to pull a stunt, forget it," the one threatening the Guardian said with a nervous laugh. "Uh... Just throw it over here or something." He waved his knife in the general direction of the other thug and almost stabbed himself in the process. Both Chan and Jisoo raised their brows in unison. This robber seemed to be much less experienced than his first impression had suggested, but the Wielder didn't hesitate and grabbed his bag to do as he was told, smearing dirt and blood all over it. With as much strength as he could muster, he threw the heavy backpack in their direction, praying that he wouldn't hit Chan.

The taller one, who had stayed quiet so far, stepped forward to catch the bag and Chan used that exact moment of distraction to ram his elbow deeply into the other robber's stomach. The male immediately toppled over with a groan and dropped his knife while the one holding the backpack hadn't even fully realized what was going on behind him. As soon as he turned around to look for his partner, Jisoo took the opportunity. He scrambled to his feet and lunged at the taller male, clinging to his back and slinging his arms around his throat to grab a hold, while the robber desperately tried to pry him off. Chan had used the time to dive for the knife and now he was the one standing threateningly above the robber, who was still curled up on the floor. "Stop moving, or I'll hurt your friend!" Chan shouted towards the one struggling against Jisoo. "Hyung, get away from him!"

The tall robber immediately deflated and Jisoo let go of his neck to move towards Chan as fast as he could. His busted knees screamed in protest. The closer he got, the more of the younger's concern flooded him. "Hyung, are you okay? Did they hurt you?” the Guardian asked frantically, trying to keep an eye on the strangers while simultaneously checking his Wielder for injuries.

"I'm alright, don't worry," he said and hid his bloody palms in his pockets, secretly grateful that it was dark already.

The robber on the floor groaned once again, holding his stomach. "Damn it, that was a shit idea," he hissed, his eyes closed in pain.

"It was yours after all," the taller one spoke for the first time, his voice was deep and slightly accented, but the sassy tone was obvious.

Chan and Jisoo shared disbelieving looks while the two men began to bicker back and forth. "What do we do now, hyung?" Chan whispered, still warily holding the little knife and eyeing the robbers, who were now spewing insults at each other.

Jisoo scratched his head. "Uhm... Let's call the police, I guess."

"Don't!" They were interrupted by the robber sitting next to Chan who had immediately grown quiet after Jisoo had uttered the word 'police'. "We can't go back, they'll kill us!"

Jisoo, who had already reached for his bag to get his phone, paused and looked at him. "' _They_ '?"

It took a while until the taller one answered. "Well... We're kinda on the run from a group our Wielder belonged to. They have some governmental ties, so the police would probably hand us over as soon as they get us."

"Why are you on the run?" Jisoo asked perplexed (but also slightly intrigued, that sounded like something from an action movie).

"We-"

"Not gonna tell you. We don't even know you," the one on the floor interrupted, throwing warning glares at the other robber.

"Excuse me?! You were the ones trying to rob us and then asked us not to call the police. So either you give us a really good reason or you go to jail," Chan growled, his temper rising high once again.

Jisoo patted his back to calm him down and tried a more thoughtful approach. "Was this your first attempt in robbing someone?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah. We're pickpockets," the taller one said at once before clamping his hand over his mask.

"Damn it, Jun," the one on the floor groaned, "stop talking so much."

"So that guy's name is Jun?" Chan questioned, but only cold silence answered him.

"And why did you switch from pickpocketing to robbery? That's a serious crime; it could get you in a lot of trouble," Jisoo asked, trying hard not to sound too disapproving while examining the eyes of the robbers, the only feature he could make out. The tall one looked dejected, but the other one stared back stubbornly.

"Seems like it's time to call the police," Chan declared loudly when nobody made even the slightest attempt to answer, reaching for Jisoo's bag.

"Okay, okay! We were hungry and couldn't steal enough cash to get by without getting noticed. So I came up with this plan and you were the least threatening looking people we could find. Happy now?!" the one on the floor spat and the Guardian immediately looked insulted.

Before he could start arguing, Jisoo cut him off. "When was the last time you ate?"

Chan groaned when he detected the worry in his Wielder's voice. "Hyung, they're criminals. They're probably lying right now, so you won't call the police. Don't be so gullible," he said in exasperation.

"It's been a bit over two days," the tall one, Jun apparently, piped up, "and we're not lying."

The Guardian only sent him a disbelieving stare. " _Sure_."

"Would you listen to us if we show you our faces and introduce ourselves? You can go to the police afterwards and give them our description if you don't believe us," Jun proposed.

"What the fuck, Jun. Why would we?! I'm not going back in that hellhole; I'd rather kill myself," the smaller robber immediately exploded.

"We don't have much of a choice. They're either calling the police now or they believe us and let us go," Jun said quietly.

The other spat multiple colourful curses - Jisoo was contemplating to cover Chan's ears - before he agreed. "Fine. That better be worth it. You wanna hear our story?"

The Wielder immediately nodded eagerly while Chan still clutched the knife in suspicion. Jun pulled off his facemask and the hood of his hoodie and revealed brownish hair and a handsome but haggard face. It was obvious that he hadn't eaten enough for a while now and Jisoo felt the strong urge to cook for him. The one on the floor did the same; his face was unnaturally pale with multiple fading cuts and bruises. Both of them looked foreign or at least not fully Korean.

"My name is Junhui; I go by Jun. I'm originally from China, but I was brought here when I was young. This is Vernon; his real name is Hansol. One year ago we fled the Organisation together after our Wielder was murdered, and we've been on the run ever since."


	9. Tears

It felt so good to eat a warm, homecooked meal. I was used to fighting for scraps ever since I could remember but the last year on the streets had been especially harsh. In the first few weeks, the raw hunger had made my stomach cramp, completely draining me of energy, though after a while I had gotten used to the emptiness. By now the leftovers we picked out of dumpsters were enough to keep both of us running. Actual food was something we saved for rare occasions, like successful thefts. Whenever Hansol and I had stolen a purse, we celebrated by buying streetfood and filling our stomachs until we felt like we would explode. In those happy moments, I had been sure that everything was going to be alright - but the warmth had never lasted long and the hunger had returned shortly after. We slept in abandoned houses and lived in places regular - no, _normal_ people avoided, steering clear of anyone who could possibly rat us out. Coldness and darkness were our constant companions and the latter was our helper too, since it hid us from eyes we didn't want to get seen by.

The eyes that were currently watching us stuff our faces were different though. True, the smaller one - who grudgingly had introduced himself as Chan after the other had forced him to - still looked highly distrustful and had flat-out refused to sit at the same table as Hansol and me but the older guy... he was just so _warm_. I had never experienced anyone who was so concerned about a strangers well-being, especially not after those strangers had tried to rob him and threatened his friend with a knife.

And now we were in his flat, sitting in his tiny kitchen and eating food he had cooked for us. I honestly had no idea what was going on in his head. If I'd believe in god, I'd assume he was some sort of angel, especially with his gentle eyes and good looks - but the snarling little Forcebearer behind him kind of destroyed that impression. Chan had almost ripped our heads off after seeing the busted hands and knees of his Wielder - and honestly, I felt bad about it too. Even Hansol had apologized and I hadn't heard a honest apology from him in ages. But Jisoo had just laughed it off and allowed Chan to fuss over him with a smile, before he had begun to prepare our dinner.

Hansol seemed more relaxed now as well. I was pretty sure he had been preparing for an ambush when we had followed them after their introduction and invitation (Chan hadn't been happy but Jisoo had insisted on it) and he had looked incredibly tense the whole time. I had been nervous too, not gonna lie; it generally wasn't a good idea to trust random strangers, especially not in a situation like ours. But there was just _something_ about Jisoo and the way he spoke and behaved...

I watched the interaction between the Wielder and his Forcebearer with interest while slowly chewing my food and I knew Hansol was doing the same. We hadn't believed Jisoo at first when he had told us that he was a Wielder but he had shown us his mark - Hansol's wariness had been almost palpable afterwards. He had never been one to trust others easily and the experiences with our previous Wielders had only made it worse. But admittedly, the way Jisoo and Chan behaved around each other was completely different from everything we had come to know so far.

Right now Chan was teasing his Wielder about the rice stuck to his cheek and he even dared to reach over and wipe it away. I couldn't stop my heart from beating faster since I had learned from a very young age on to never touch my superior, regardless if it was an elder, a Wielder or a higher rank. Subconsciously I was waiting for a scowl, harsh words or maybe even a punch - but Jisoo only blushed and laughed with Chan.

I relaxed and I knew without looking that Hansol felt the same relief rushing through him. There was so much kindness, affection and trust in each word, gaze and smile between the pair in front of us. It was heartwarming but also a bit upsetting. Feeling that way made me a terrible person, but I couldn't help but be envious. It filled my chest at the same time as sadness and a strange spark of happiness for Chan and his luck to find an amazing Wielder. I looked down at my food and schooled my face into the best pokerface I could muster.

"So," Jisoo suddenly said, causing both Hansol and me to jump, "is it okay to ask about your story now?"

 

"I told you before that I'm originally from China, right? Well, I was brought here by the Organisation when I was around 8 and I don't really remember much about my parents or my life before that." Not that I wanted to. I was pretty sure my parents had sold me to get rid of their debts but that wasn't something the two of them needed to know. "I met Hansol shortly after moving into the headquarters. He's a year younger than me so I took care of him often and we got close."

"We're brothers," Hansol interrupted gruffly, "I'd die for him."

We shared a look and affection was bubbling in my chest. He was rude, stubborn as hell and sometimes annoying but he also was the most important person in the world to me and I would give everything for him. I ran my fingers through my hair to sort my thoughts before continuing. This wasn't a comfortable topic to talk about. "Life in the headquarters wasn't easy. We got sent out to do all kinds of work and we got beaten pretty badly when we made mistakes. It's not an environment a child should grow up in and I guess it left its marks on us. We don't really have anyone we care about except for the two of us-"

"And we damn well don't need anyone either," Hansol heatedly disrupted once again. Chan threw him an annoyed look but Jisoo only nodded earnestly and waited for me to continue.

I just laughed and shrugged. "Right. As you can see, our manners aren't exactly the best either since nobody cared much about this stuff as long as you were obedient. Mine are probably better than his though." I received a bony elbow in the side for that comment but we both knew it was true. "Well, it went that way for several years. We both had the chance to work our ways up but we never really took it and just stayed in the same shitty place we had started in. The big change came when I turned 18." My stomach clenched just by recalling those memories and I wasn't sure if I could continue. Hansol patted my knee under the table - I was glad he was here with me.

"Jun is..." Hansol hesitated for a split second and shot a wary glance at Jisoo, "...high ranking. He's a Warrior - same as me - and as soon as he turned 18, the one in charge of us bonded him." I was surprised that my brother had revealed my rank, I actually didn't think he would. He seemed to trust Jisoo more than I had given him credit for. My stomach clenched once again at the painful memory of being forcebonded and I grabbed Hansol's hand to squeeze it.

"When he found out that Jun was powerful, the dumbass thought he could use him to force his way through the ranks of the Organisation. In just a few days, everyone knew about Jun's ability. It was a massacre." I tried not to listen too closely but I couldn't stop the bloody memories from emerging. To distract myself, I focused on Chan's absorbed face and the horror in Jisoo's eyes, who was trying hard not to let it show in his expression. "Long story short, the lower ranks of the Organisation wiped each other out and Jun got forced into one contract after another. I hardly saw him back then because his Wielders always kept him close and when I saw him he looked completely drained. This bullshit only stopped when the higher-ups got involved. He got bonded by the second in command, who already had quite a collection of strong Forcebearers, and for half a year he was gone." Hansol's voice hitched a little and I squeezed his hand again. That had been a dark time for both of us. By now Jisoo looked like he was about to cry and Chan had started rubbing his back to calm him down. After a few deep breaths, Hansol continued. "As soon as I turned 18, I got brought to Jun's Wielder who formed a contract with me."

"It helped that I had constantly dropped hints about Hansol turning 18 soon and that he might be high ranking too," I added with a small smile.

"Well, yeah. So we got together again and life was a little less shitty. But the attitude towards us was even worse than when we were just random teenagers nobody cared about. Because now we were nothing more than dogs to them," Hansol said, his expression torn between desperation and hate, "the kind that gets beaten with sticks and starved so it attacks on command."

I didn't know whether Jisoo and Chan took what my brother had said literally but I vividly remembered the bloody tears and gashes he would sport whenever he had dared to speak up – usually to stop our Wielder from abusing me. I had always been much more compliant than Hansol would ever be and in turn, I had been the one looking after his wounds whenever he had gotten dragged back into our room. While my body was only decorated by a few scars, his was a mess. "Pretty much exactly one year after Hansol was bonded, our Wielder got shot. He died while we stood next to him in the middle of the street and the bond that had forced us in place was suddenly gone."

Hansol nodded. "We immediately legged it and that's pretty much how we ended up here. We've lived on the streets for a bit over a year now and tried to lay low so they wouldn't find us. If they ever do, we'd probably never have the chance to escape again since they know our weaknesses." We shared a meaningful look and my heart hurt at the thought of my brother getting harmed to stop me from running. That threat would definitely be effective and I was eternally grateful that they hadn't used it before.

 

Chan was the first one to speak after a moment of silence had passed. His voice sounded slightly scratchy and he looked troubled. "That was one hell of a story." Jisoo only nodded silently, fumbling for a tissue to blow his nose with, his eyes red. I handed him one of the napkins and he rewarded me with a shaky smile. The Forcebearer affectionately patted his back while Jisoo hid his face behind the napkin. Chan seemed to be very sensible towards the moods of his Wielder and I wondered if they had grown up together. "So, what are you going to do now?" he asked while Jisoo leaned into his side.

Hansol seemed a bit lost at that question and I wasn't sure how to answer it either. "Well, as long as you don't rat us out, we'll probably keep doing what we were doing," he replied carefully but I could sense that he disliked the thought of coldness and hunger just as much as I did.

At his words, Jisoo emerged from behind his napkin, streaks of tears still fresh on his face. I wanted to wipe them away. "Please promise me not to rob people again," he pleaded in an oddly desperate tone. "It's too dangerous and the risk is too high." His eyes bored into mine until I looked down. I didn't _want_ to live that way but we couldn't just go and get a job while a freaking gang was after us. Also I was pretty sure that I didn't even have a Korean citizenship. But I wholeheartedly agreed: Robberies were too risky and we were lucky that we only had gotten caught by Jisoo and Chan.

As if he could read my thoughts - sometimes I was pretty sure he actually could -, Hansol nodded. "Yeah, no more robberies. But we're in too deep already so we can't just walk away and live a happy life, as much as we want to."

Jisoo smiled and it warmed my heart. It had been a while since someone had smiled at me sincerely like this. "Understandable, I guess. Well, I don't have much but it's enough to cook you a meal once in a while and to offer you a place to sleep. So if you feel desperate again, please visit me instead of doing something stupid."

 

After we had finished eating and each of us had taken a hot shower, it was time for us to leave. It had never been so hard for me to walk out of a door and even Hansol's presence couldn't fully comfort me at the moment.

I wanted to turn around and walk right back, knock on the door and be greeted with Jisoo's warm smile and Chan's grumpy but concerned face. I wanted to learn how to cook, so I could prepare a meal for all of us one day, and I wanted to be able to tousle Jisoo's hair, just like Chan had earlier, to cheer him up. But I also wanted to protect the two of them and I knew that it was safer for all of us to leave.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked Hansol while walking next to him through the darkness of the winter night, the cold wind whipping our faces.

For a long while only silence answered me but when he spoke, his voice sounded more vulnerable than I had ever heard before. "I envy Chan so much."

 


	10. Blurred lines

Meeting the two Warriors had left its mark, especially on Jisoo who - as a beloved only-child and Wielder - had only heard about murder, gangs and torture in the news. Chan was somewhat less affected due to the experiences with his family, but it still had shaken him to abruptly get confronted with the violence some Forcebearers had to endure. After going to bed and huddling as close together as possible, Jisoo fell into a fitful sleep, safely tucked into his Guardian's warm arms. Chan laid awake for a while, gratefully stroking his Wielder's hair and thinking about how lucky he was that he had been found by Jisoo.

Neither Jisoo nor Chan slept well that night although they had been completely exhausted from the events of the day.

Therefore, in the next morning, both of them were dead tired. Chan was cranky and whined about this and that while Jisoo was much more quiet than usual, his pale face adorned with dark circles and eyebags.

He was so unfocused throughout noon that he completely forgot about a certain email from a certain small Wielder with rather big temper-issues.

Said Wielder was not happy when he approached Jisoo during lunch break, who was eating alone after Chan had been called into the office to receive his exam results. Jisoo got ripped out of his daze when a chair at his table got roughly pulled back with an earshattering screeching sound and a body slumped down on it. He was met with Jihoon's angry, dark eyes and the unread email waiting for him in his account came to his mind in an instant. The thought made him break out in cold sweat. "O-oh... Jihoon. I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about your e-email..."

Jihoon opened his mouth and Jisoo ducked his head in anticipation of the harsh words thrown in his direction - but the other Wielder only took a close look at his face before his eyes softened. "It's alright. Are you coming later? You look pretty sick." Even though his words were as blunt as always, his voice was much more gentle than usual and the relief that flooded Jisoo left him slightly dizzy.

"Uhm... Thank y-you, I'm just a bit tired. I'll come b-but would it be okay to bring my Forcebearer?" he asked carefully, already prepared for a sharp 'no', but to his surprise, Jihoon nodded curtly.

"Let's walk as a group later. We'll meet in front of the usual classroom, make sure you're on time." And with a last glance, he left a very confused Wielder behind.

 

His confusion didn't last long since thin arms wrapped around his throat from behind, almost completely cutting off his airflow. "Hyung! I got the scholarship! I'll attend university starting tomorrow!" Chan's excited voice rang in his ears, making him wince at the high volume.

"That's amazing, Channie," he choked out, patting the younger's arm, "but you're killing me."

The Guardian immediately let go of him and stepped back, a guilty look on his face. Jisoo rubbed his throat while turning around. "You passed?! Awesome, we need to celebrate," he cheered with a wide grin and Chan brightened at once.

 

After they had both gorged themselves on overly sugary brownies from the cafeteria, they were met with the next surprise.

"There's another letter," Jisoo said after he had opened his locker. He handed it to Chan while distractedly putting away his books.

" _In case of doubt, try water._ "

"Huh?" Jisoo looked up from his bag, confusion written all over his face.

Chan shrugged and waved the paper in his hand. "No idea, it says so in the letter. Only that line and nothing else, not even a signature."

Jisoo took the letter to read it as well, but it didn't shed much light on the mystery. "Weird. But let's just wait and see what happens. He or she was pretty spot on yesterday."

Chan examined his Wielder and noticed the small smile on his face. "You don't think that person knows Jun and Hansol, do you, hyung?"

Jisoo laughed before he leaned over and lowered his voice. "No, I'm pretty sure it's a Guardian with a clairvoyance ability who's leaving those letters. That would also explain how they know the code to my locker."

"Wow, another five star. I wonder who it is?" Chan looked around as if he was waiting for someone to pop up and wave at him. "And why don't they just talk to you? Wouldn't it be easier?"

Jisoo frowned while closing his locker. "Maybe their Wielder doesn't want them to? The Guardian has to be in a contract since they can use their ability and the Wielder is probably worried about the rank getting known to the public."

"Hm, true. Should we try to find out who it is, though?" Chan asked, already looking overeager to channel his inner Sherlock, but Jisoo shook his head with a smile and patted his Guardian's shoulder.

"I don't want them to get in trouble." 

Chan was visibly disappointed but consoled himself with one of the leftover brownies and the thought that he'd still keep an eye out for the unknown letter-writer, just in case.

 

Jisoo's group was already waiting when he and Chan arrived and that was reason enough for his heart to beat faster and his hands to turn clammy. Chan entangled their fingers as soon as he felt the anxiety of his Wielder rising and promised himself not to let go, regardless what the group-members would say.

Seokmin smiled brightly as soon as he noticed the couple and waved. "Hi Jisoo! We're good to go; let's do this! Oh and hi, I'm Seokmin, nice to meet you."

"Hello Seokmin," Jisoo greeted with a relieved smile, the knot in his stomach loosening a little. "Hi Jihoon, hi Kangin. This is Chan, my Guardian."

Jihoon and Kangin only nodded, both eyeing the linked hands (the latter with a disdainful sneer). Seokmin was the only one to actually shake Chan's hand and the two of them immediately began to chat while they trailed after the two intimidating Wielders into the cold afternoon air. It had started to snow and Jisoo quietly walked in between the two Forcebearers, their body heat keeping him warm and giving him a feeling of safety. He enjoyed listening to them without having to actually say anything and he was pretty sure that Chan could feel his rise in mood. Still, the younger kept on holding his hand throughout the whole way.

 

"We're here," Jihoon interrupted the Forcebearers after several minutes had passed and Jisoo as well as Seokmin opened their mouths in astonishment. The building was massive: one of those high-rise apartment complexes only rich people could afford, where the doorknobs alone cost more than every piece of furniture Jisoo had ever owned combined.

"Your apartment is in _this_ building?" Seokmin asked wide eyed. Jihoon only shrugged nonchalantly and pulled out a keycard to open the frontgate. "Hell, I haven't even gotten close to one of those before," Seokmin mumbled under his breath, prompting Chan to laugh.

The young Guardian was the only one who didn't look the least bit impressed (even Kangin was a bit shaken) and Jisoo had to remind himself that this was probably nothing to him compared to his former living standards. It made him feel somewhat guilty about his own shabby apartment, but Chan immediately squeezed his hand and sent him a happy grin.

Jihoon guided them through a magnificent lobby, past several guards in uniform who nodded at him, towards an elevator that also was activated by his key card. When they had reached the 17th floor, it stopped and they stood in front of a polished wooden door.

The flat behind the door was just as fancy as the building suggested. Plenty of space with several doors leading to multiple rooms, the interior modern, expensive and in muted colours. Jisoo thought to himself that his whole apartment could probably fit into the hallway alone.

The group had taken their seats in a bright livingroom on a fluffy carpet adorned with soft cushions, using one of the sofas as backrest. The low coffee table was the perfect height for them to write on while comfortably lounging on the floor.

"Do you live here alone?" Chan asked when Jihoon returned from the kitchen, carrying a tray with soft-drinks and snacks.

"No, I share the flat with my Forcebearers. They're still in university, working on their own project. And trust me, it's better that way because they're freaking loud." He set the tray down on the table and clapped his hands. "Alright, let's get started. Kangin, you and I will prepare the presentation; Seokmin, Jisoo, do some more research on your subtopics. Use this tablet here; I'll get my laptop and some books. Chan, help me carry them."

 

Not even 30 minutes of concentrated silence had passed when voices became audible and the frontdoor unlocked. Rolling his eyes, Jihoon leaned back against the sofa. "Oh god, here they come. Good bye, peace and quiet."

"...and Shindong said that it was impossible but Heechul totally owned him with- oh. Hi there!" Jeonghan had stepped into the living room, happily talking to Seungcheol before he noticed the eyes directed at him. "I totally forgot that you're here today."

"It was your freaking idea," Jihoon grumbled, but he was so quiet that only Jisoo next to him could hear it. He quickly took a sip of his coke to suppress the laughter bubbling in his throat.

"Anyway, welcome to our humble home! How do you like it, Jisoo?" Jeonghan asked with a cheeky grin.

Jisoo immediately choked on his drink at the unexpected question, emptying half of the bottle on his shirt in the process. Sputtering, he forced out a "great" while Seokmin patted his back to help him breathe.

Jihoon glared at his Warrior who was visibly trying not to laugh at the unfortunate wet Wielder. "If you don't have anything important to say, leave us alone; we're not finished yet."

Jeonghan opened his mouth for a sassy reply but Seungcheol stepped in and took his hand with a smile. "Let's get changed first; we can talk later." The long-haired Warrior pouted but nodded, following the other back into the hallway.

"Those two will be the death of me," Jihoon groaned and Seokmin finally burst into laughter at his annoyed face. Jisoo bit his lip to prevent himself from smiling while he tried to dry his shirt with a tissue. He looked around for Chan, who had been gone for more than twenty minutes.

"Your Guardian's playing x-box in my room," Jihoon said, noticing the nervous glances of his groupmate. "He looked bored earlier. Do you wanna wash up? It'll get sticky after it dries."

"Y-yes, thank you," Jisoo replied, blushing at Jihoon's unexpected thoughtfulness.

Before they could get up, Kangin interrupted. "We'll leave now, I need to attend a meeting." Jihoon looked like he wanted to curse at him for not mentioning it earlier, but he kept his temper in check and simply nodded. Seokmin affectionately ruffled Jisoo's hair before the pair left and the two Wielders stayed behind.

"I have no idea how we'll _ever_ finish this damn project," Jihoon sighed, rubbing his temples after a few beats of silence, "but let's get you a dry shirt first."

Jisoo kept quiet while following his groupmate through the hallway but he couldn't help but feel bad for the responsibility the other had to bear.

Without as much as a knock, Jihoon opened a door and barged in while pulling Jisoo after him. "He needs a new shirt after your stunt earlier," he said, completely unfazed by the scene in front of him.

The sight of a shirtless Jeonghan and Seungcheol in a wifebeater greeted them. Both had stopped changing at the interruption and had turned towards the door. The two-star marks of the Warriors were on display, Seungcheol's on his muscular upper arm and Jeonghan's on his flat stomach, just above the waistband of his pants. After staring for a few star-struck seconds, Jisoo blushed a deep crimson red and hastily covered his eyes with his hands while taking several steps back to get out of the room as fast as possible.

"Woah, careful!"

"Wait! You're going to-"

His back bumped hard into a sharp edge that probably belonged to a closet of some sort, but before he could comprehend what was happening, warm hands had firmly grasped his shoulders and pushed him. He stumbled into the waiting arms of someone else who steadied him while the sound of breaking glass filled the air. When he finally dared to take a look at his surroundings, he found himself pressed against Jeonghan's (very much naked) chest while Seungcheol fussed over Jihoon, who was standing next to a bunch of flowers and the shards of what formerly had been a beautiful vase. He looked unharmed, but his whole upper body was drenched with water and a few flower petals stuck to his form.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Jisoo immediately exclaimed, completely forgetting about Jeonghan's skin on his. He wiggled out of the Warrior's reluctant arms and stepped closer to Jihoon, who was trying to brush off the petals from his formerly pristine white shirt, while Seungcheol carefully collected the shards around him.

"I'm fine, what about your back?" came the gruff reply. "Damn it, I can't get this shit off of me."

"My back is fine, thanks for pushing me out of the way, though. Here, let me help." Jisoo began to pick the bits of flowers from the drenched shirt while Jihoon leaned against the wardrobe in annoyance.

"Why would you put flowers on a freaking closet, you birdbrain?" he nagged Jeonghan who rolled his eyes at him.

"If you don't like my style, don't come into my room," the Warrior replied with a sassy flip of his hair, after finally putting on a shirt.

Before Jihoon could retaliate, he got interrupted by Jisoo's shaky voice. The Wielder was staring intently at the collar of Jihoon's wet shirt which had slowly started to turn black.

"Jihoon... Y-your mark is smudged... What's going on?"


	11. Freedom

The silence that followed his question was deafening. All three students had turned pale and stood completely motionless for a few seconds.

Jihoon broke the silence with a heartfelt "fuck!", his formerly relaxed stance rigid and his eyes searching his Warriors.

Jisoo took a wary step back at the look on the other Wielder's face. He was used to indifference, annoyance and even anger in Jihoon's expression - but this time something seemed off. He looked desperate, for the lack of a better word, like an animal trapped in a corner. It made Jisoo's already fast beating heart double in speed and the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach intensified.

Jisoo took another step back when Jihoon crouched down slightly, assuming an obvious fighting stance - but strong arms once again wrapped around him, preventing his escape. This time, Jeonghan's embrace was lacking the gentleness from earlier, instead it felt like chains had wrapped around the Wielder, holding him in place. The feeling in Jisoo's stomach spread throughout his whole body when Seungcheol stepped in his line of vision and hid Jihoon's smaller body behind his broad shoulders. His face was uncharacteristically emotionless and his eyes held coldness that did not match their warm chocolate brown colour.

"What are we going to do with him?" Seungcheol asked, his piercing gaze boring into the Wielder who had started to shake slightly. It took all of Jisoo's courage to open his mouth to try and say something to defuse the situation, but long fingers immediately prevented him from speaking. The cold fear that rushed through him made his limbs feel numb and he frantically tried to imagine what Chan would do in this kind of situation.

"Now what?" Seungcheol asked again while Jihoon stepped next to him to take a look at the trapped Wielder.

Jihoon visibly hesitated to speak and something akin to pity shimmered in his eyes. "Can't we just send him home with a warning? He's actually pretty nice for a Wielder; I don't think he'd try to forcebond us."

"And he's obviously scared, Cheol. He's shaking like a leaf. Let's just talk to him about it," Jeonghan's voice piped up, way too close to Jisoo's ear to be comfortable.

"If we let him go and he rats us out, it will get all of us in trouble, especially you, Ji," Seungcheol said, clearly not convinced. "And our parents," he finished, a grim expression painting his features when Jihoon opened his mouth to argue once more. That seemed to hit a nerve and Jihoon stayed quiet, destroying the little glimmer of hope that had awoken in Jisoo's chest while Jihoon and Jeonghan had defended him. Tears sprang to his eyes when Seungcheol stepped closer and he hopelessly fought against Jeonghan's grip - but the Warrior was too strong for him to break free.

Just when Seungcheol was about to touch Jisoo's wet cheek, the door flew open and crashed against the wall with a deafening sound. In rushed Chan, an anxious look on his face. Rage immediately overpowered his concern as soon as he spotted the restrained and crying Wielder surrounded by the three students. "Hands off, you fu- Jeonghan?! What the hell is going on!"

"Chan?! What are _you_ doing here?"

Although Chan was clearly just as surprised as Jeonghan, he did not hesitate to step forward and rip Jisoo out of the Warrior's arms, who had loosened his grip in confusion. The Wielder immediately clung to his Guardian, his face buried in Chan's neck, and used the familiar warmth to calm himself down. Seungcheol tried to take a step in Chan's direction but he was held back by Jihoon who was in turn watching Jeonghan. Tense silence descended on the room, only broken by Jisoo's quiet sobs.

"What are you doing here, Chan? I thought you're in America," Jeonghan carefully tried once again.

Chan warily eyed him and the others, still visibly trying to hold back his anger for the sake of calming his Wielder. "How about you explain this fucked up situation to me first, huh? What were you doing to Jisoo?" he hissed while simultaneously rubbing little circles into Jisoo's back.

"Your Wielder saw something he shouldn't have," Jihoon said, "we-"

"Your Wielder? You're a _Forcebearer_?!" Jeonghan exclaimed in astonishment, prompting Jihoon to throw him an annoyed look, but he was too preoccupied with staring at the Guardian to notice it.

Chan blushed at his obvious disbelief. "So what? Got a problem with that?" he asked defensively, glaring back at the Warrior.

"Woah, everyone was wondering why they cancelled your birthday party so suddenly. Were you grounded or something?" Jeonghan looked genuinely curious now while Chan seemed more and more embarrassed.

To everyone's surprise, it was Jisoo who stopped them. He had let go of Chan after drying his tears and now turned around to face his classmates. "How do you know each other?"

Jeonghan immediately looked down and avoided eye contact instead of answering the question, therefore it was Chan who replied while stepping around his Wielder to stay at his side. "We kinda grew up together. His mother is pretty famous, so I'd always see him at all kinds of social events. And since we're somewhat close in age, our parents forced us to _get along_." The quotation marks he used for 'get along' were audible. Jisoo noticed that Jeonghan's face fell a little at Chan's obvious disdain even though the Warrior still hadn't looked back up. "And now that you know that I'm a Forcebearer too, mind explaining why you were threatening my Wielder?"

The three students shared glances before Seungcheol spoke, his voice cold. "Like Ji said, he saw something he shouldn't have and that makes him a threat."

"So you wanted to get rid of him?" Chan snarled and even Seungcheol looked vaguely uncomfortable at that accusation.

"Of course not. We wouldn't seriously hurt him or something. We have some ways to tamper with memories, so we only would've knocked him out and brought him home afterwards."

" _Only_?!" Chan's voice was rising dangerously and for a skinny 18 year old he suddenly looked rather impressive in his anger. But when Jisoo leaned into his side, he calmed down at once and wrapped his arm around his Wielder.

"Why didn't you just tell me? I really thought you were going to kill me..." Jisoo asked, his voice breaking in the end.

Both Jihoon and Jeonghan looked guilty while Seungcheol raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you would've believed us. But yeah, it was a shitty situation, we probably overreacted," he finished lamely after everyone except Jisoo had glared at him.

The Wielder only shook his head in consternation and shifted his attention to Jihoon. "So you're not a real Wielder? And those two are not your Forcebearers?"

Jihoon hesitated for a moment before he shook his head as well. "I'm a Warrior. Jeonghan's parents adopted Cheol and me when we were young and gave us the choice whether we want to be bonded or not. It's safer for us to pretend to be in a contract to prevent forcebonding and since my mark is on my thigh, it's the easiest to hide."

"It's illegal but we value our freedom," Jeonghan added. "Our parents obviously know about it and since they're pretty famous, it would probably end their careers if that got out."

"Jeonghan's parents are bonded to each other. My parents told me that it was a huge scandal when they got married," Chan interjected, looking a bit more relaxed now. "His mother is a designer and a model from one of the old Wielder families, but she cut her ties with them after falling in love with her Forcebearer. I didn't know they adopted children though; I've never seen you before at any parties."

"We don't like the spotlight and Jeonghan is the official heir anyway," Jihoon explained. "We only met through an accident in primary school and became friends afterwards; that's why we got adopted."

"So the stars under your mark are also fake?" Jisoo asked curiously, staring at the sword on Seungcheol's bicep.

"We draw them with marker," Jeonghan said with an embarrassed smile. "We wanted to get them tattooed but since it's illegal, nobody would do it."

Chan couldn't suppress a grin while Jisoo looked impressed. "That's an amazing idea for unbonded Forcebearers actually. So you've never been in a contract before?"

Jihoon eyed him warily before answering. "We have. Our mother bonded us because we wanted to know our abilities and afterwards she cancelled the contracts."

The unease of the Warriors regarding the turn the conversation had taken was obvious, and Jisoo smiled reassuringly. "I'm not going to ask you about your abilities, don't worry. I have a wonderful Guardian already and I don't plan on forming more contracts." Chan flushed a pretty shade of pink at his words and looked undeniably proud of himself while squeezing his Wielder's hip.

"Not even if I asked you to?" Jeonghan suddenly inquired and the satisfied grin immediately dropped from Chan's face. Jisoo looked confused while the other Warriors regarded Jeonghan as if he had lost his mind.

"Why would you?" the Wielder asked, completely lost. "Didn't you just say that you value your freedom?"

Jeonghan was completely unfazed by the dark looks of his brothers. "I did, but you're cute and Chan seems to really enjoy being your Guardian." Both Chan and Jisoo blushed (although for different reasons) while Jihoon and Seungcheol simultaneously began opposing the idea.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jihoon looked royally pissed.

"Why do you always decide stuff on a whim? Can't you behave like a responsible adult for once?" Seungcheol groaned.

"It's my life, leave me alone," Jeonghan snarled before focusing back on the Wielder with a blinding smile, who shrank a little in fear. "So what do you say, Jisoo? Deal?"

"Of course not, idiot," Chan immediately refused and broke their eye contact by pulling Jisoo closer to him. "He just said he doesn't need anyone but me."

"Oy, I'm older than you. And no, he didn't. He only said that he's not planning to take someone else, but let's be real: everyone needs a capable Warrior. Guardians aren't helpful in fights anyway."

Chan's ears turned beet red at once and he glared at the other while Jisoo fruitlessly tried to struggle out of his Guardian's tightening arms. "I've already helped him plenty of times, thank you very much. And I don't need to rely on my ability to help him out, very unlike certain _Warriors_..." the younger trailed off smugly.

Jihoon stopped Jeonghan's upcoming rant with a kick to his shin. "Stop it. Chan, you're suffocating your Wielder. And Jeonghan, what the hell are you thinking? You can't do that," he lowered his voice a little, "it's freaking dangerous."

Jeonghan, who had been rubbing his leg and cursing in pain, straightened up while Jisoo was finally able to breathe again next to a very apologetic Chan. "I'm just tired of pretending and I think forming a contract is not necessarily as bad as the two of you make it seem. Look at our parents, they're happy the way they are," he replied earnestly.

"But you're different from dad and you know that," Seungcheol said, his deep voice holding a sad undertone.

"You're all terrible at keeping secrets," Chan suddenly interrupted, visibly annoyed. "It's so obvious that you're worried because he's high ranking."

The Warriors stared at him wide eyed for a few seconds before Jeonghan started laughing. "You didn't change at all. You're still a brat, but you used to hide it better back then," he said after he had regained control over himself. "And yeah, I'm high-ranking, so that's a problem."

Jisoo simply shrugged with a smile and patted his Guardian's shoulder. "Chan's a five star so I don't really mind. But maybe you should get a Wielder you've known longer to form a contract with?"

This time the stares were filled with awe. "Hyung, don't tell others so easily; it's dangerous," Chan immediately nagged. "And we really don't need him. Also there's no space in _our_ apartment for a third person."

"Hmm, that's true actually. Jeonghan, if you want to form a contract, we would only see each other in university; I don't really have the money to house another person," Jisoo explained dejectedly but Jeonghan only raised his brows at him.

"That's perfect, a bond and still enough freedom. But why is Chan living at your place?" He looked at Chan who blushed a little once again but determinedly returned his stare.

"I got kicked out but that's none of your business."

"Wait, really?! They kicked you out because you're a Forcebearer?!" Jeonghan seemed visibly shaken by the news, further confirming Jisoo's suspicion that the Warrior cared much more about the younger than he admitted - which was probably also the main reason for him to want the contract.

Chan shrugged coolly, pretending to be unaffected by the situation with his parents. "I have Jisoo now and I really like living with him. I don't need anyone else."

Jeonghan's stare was so sceptical, the Wielder felt like it might burn a hole in his forehead. He could almost hear the accusations the Warrior was screaming at him in his mind. Jisoo smiled a his protectiveness, something he was very familiar with when it came to the younger. "We made a deal. He helps me out when I'm in trouble and he is bonded until he finds the perfect Wielder for himself. Then we'll cancel the contract and he can bond with whoever he wants."

"You'd willingly cancel a contract with a five star?" Jihoon asked full of disbelief.

"Sure. I like being with him, not because of his rank but because he's a great person. We formed that contract because I was worried that he might get forcebonded but I don't really mind whether he's my Forcebearer or just a regular friend as long as we get along and he's happy."

Chan looked a bit dissatisfied at this prospect and took Jisoo's hand while the Warriors once again shared looks.

"So if I tell you I want out, you'd just let me go?" Jeonghan asked doubtfully and the Wielder simply nodded. "You believe him, Chan?"

"Of course I do," the Guardian said with a snotty roll of his eyes and Jisoo poked his side for being impolite to his elder.

The long-haired Warrior stayed quiet for a few seconds while taking in the way the pair interacted. Then he nodded. "Okay, deal. Let's form a contract."


	12. Catfight(s)

Jihoon had reluctantly seated Jisoo and Chan back on the couch they had used for their project earlier, while Jeonghan was rummaging around somewhere in the apartment and Seungcheol leaned idly against the wall. It was obvious to all parties involved that Seungcheol and Jihoon were still highly against the bonding of their brother. Even though Jihoon had admitted to thinking of Jisoo as a kind Wielder, it clearly didn't mean that he thought of him as a capable one. Seungcheol however seemed to be just generally against having a Wielder and forming contracts, regardless with whom. Jisoo could feel his glare boring into the side of his head.

Chan was the only one being outspoken about the situation. He had tried whining, begging, complaining and right now resorted to pointing out all the reasons why Jisoo shouldn't bond with Jeonghan (honestly speaking, he couldn't think of many) only to be met with deaf ears. The Wielder had explained multiple times that it was mainly Jeonghan's decision to make and by now he was tired of repeating himself. He was just thinking of ways to get his Guardian to calm down, when the actual source of Chan's displeasure walked into the room.

Jeonghan was holding a small box made out of polished wood and set it on the coffee table before sitting down next to Jisoo (far away from Chan, who was scowling at him). "My mother gave me this when I turned eighteen, she got it from her parents when she was young." Opening it, he revealed a gleaming silver dagger securely placed on blood-red velvet. "I'm pretty sure that thing has been handed down in our family for centuries but I'm probably the first Forcebearer to _dirty_ it with my touch," he said with contempt, while running his slender fingers over the ornamented handle. He took it out of its box and weighted it in his hand before he turned towards Jisoo, who looked rather uncomfortable at the close proximity of the weapon. "Well, now it's your turn to use it. Cut me with it and then cut yourself."

The Wielder paled considerably when Jeonghan handed him the dagger and he held it as if the silver could bite his fingers right off. "C-can't you do it yourself? I don't want to hurt you," he asked feebly but his hope got instantly destroyed by Jihoon.

"It's tradition that the Wielder draws the Forcebearer's blood first. Did you sleep through first grade or something? That's basic knowledge," the small Warrior scoffed.

"Just because you learn it doesn't mean it's necessarily correct. I did it myself and my bond with Jisoo is perfectly fine." Chan sprang to his Wielder's defence, "I also got taught that you have to beat your Forcebearers regularly to keep them in line and I think we can all agree that that's bullshit." Jisoo winced at his choice of words while the Warriors winced at the violent picture the younger had conjured; Chan's family was indeed very different from their own parents.

"Okay, lets do it your way then," Jeonghan gave in after a few seconds of hesitation and took the weapon back from the very relieved Wielder.

Everyone held their breath when the Warrior used the sharp tip of the dagger to draw a long bloody line in the palm of his hand. "Oh god, did you really have to cut that deep? It's dripping on the carpet," Jihoon was immediately displeased while Jisoo frantically began searching for tissues in his backpack to stop the bleeding.

"Just bond with me and the cut will close - and stop complaining Ji, I didn't say anything when you had a nosebleed the day before yesterday."

"O-oh right, sorry, I forgot" Jisoo stuttered and blushed, much to Chan's and Jeonghan's amusement. Seungcheol and Jihoon only exchanged a disbelieving look. The Wielder took the dagger and carefully cut his fingertip with it, flinching at the sight of his blood. Quickly he pressed his finger against Jeonghan's palm, who used the chance to sneakily hold his hand (very much to Chan's annoyance).

The familiar pleasant feeling of something warm wrapping around his limbs engulfed Jisoo and he closed his eyes to savour it. Where moments before had only been Chan and him, there was now a third presence forming in his chest. It felt distinctly different from the Guardian, somewhat less soft and innocent, but it was just as comforting. For now he couldn't grasp Jeonghan's feelings through the bond, but he was sure that it would change after getting to know the other better.

When he opened his eyes Jeonghan was smiling at him, looking rather pleased. "This actually feels pretty good and really different from when my mother did it."

"How is it different?" Seungcheol asked, too curious to keep his angry silence up any longer.

"Hm, it's hard to describe. With mother it felt a bit like an invasion even though it was a mutual contract. But this one is really warm somehow, it's soothing and I can actually feel that Jisoo is close." Both Warriors looked intrigued at their brother's explanation and eyed Jisoo with newfound interest.

"Hyung and I can feel each others emotions through the bond," Chan proudly piped up, "that's how I found him earlier."

"For real? Do you know if mum and dad can do that too?" Seungcheol asked Jeonghan, who shrugged.

"No idea, but if they can they've never told me. Lets ask them next time."

After checking his phone Jisoo got up from the sofa while futilely wiping at the dried blood on his hand. "I think we should go home now, it's half past eight already."

"Wait, wait, wait, aren't you curious about Jeonghan's ability?" Seungcheol asked, the cheerful student Jisoo had met before peeking through the cold exterior, "he's a five star so it's pretty cool." He pushed the Wielder back down, directly into Jeonghan's lap.

"Um... Sure. What is it?" Jisoo asked, a bit perplexed at being manhandled and tried to get to his former space in between his two Bonded – but his new Warrior was having none of it and slung his arms around his waist (while Chan once again glared from the other end of the couch).

"I use hypnosis. Or well, that's what I call it. If I get my opponent to look into my eyes for a few seconds I can order them to do stuff or behave in certain ways. They don't remember it afterwards which helps to conceal my rank, but I can't order them to do anything that goes too much against their will or moral code. I get a terrible headache later though, that's why I try not to use it too often." Jisoo had stopped wiggling and had turned around to stare at him in awe and even Chan looked impressed - the Warrior was visibly pleased with the undivided attention.

Jihoon broke the silence by clapping his hands, causing the trio to flinch at the sudden noise. "Okay, enough bragging. Jisoo, I'll call a cab for you and Chan so you don't have to walk back - no arguing! It's our fault that it's late anyway, let us pay." Jeonghan nodded along while Seungcheol frowned but chose to remain quiet.

 

The parting with the Warriors had been slightly awkward. Nobody had known what to say so they ended up with stiff nods and see-you-tomorrows. It felt weird to Jisoo to leave one of his Bonded behind, even though the contract was not all that strong yet. The further the car brought him away from the luxurious apartment complex the more he felt the pull of the bond, like a rubber band that was being stretched. The uncertainty of whether it was able to snap after stretching too far made him extremely nervous and uncomfortable. He had spent time apart from Chan before but that was only after their bond had grown stronger already and the distance had somehow never seemed as big.

The Guardian was of course able to feel his Wielder's anxiety and tried his hardest to make him more comfortable. As soon as they had reached the apartment he forced him to take a hot shower while he brewed tea and moved the heavy blanket from the bed to the sofa. They spent the rest of the evening cuddling, eating ramyeon and watching Lord of the Rings.

 

The next morning was filled with too much busy preparation for Jisoo to be able to worry about bonds. It was Chan's first official day at university and according to the timetable he had gotten from the secretary he was in all of Jisoo's classes but one - and of course it was the class with Jeonghan and the other Warriors. On their way Jisoo explained that the classes only allowed the bonded Forcebearers to attend if they weren't full, and that there was nothing they could do about it, but Chan still looked sulky when they arrived at the gate. He cheered up considerably when the Wielder proposed to share his books and his locker with him.

 

Jisoo was not prepared to get tackled from both sides when he stepped into the long hallway. The first body that crashed into him, nearly throwing him onto the floor, was Yugyeom, whose face was a lot less purple than it used to be (the bruise was now a beautiful shade of green and yellow instead). The second one was Jeonghan, whose pretty face was rather pale and tired while he clung to his arm.

The wild greeting drew the attention of Jihoon and Seungcheol, as well as Jackson's group, who looked on with obvious contempt. It made the Wielder blush a healthy tomato red and he hurriedly tried to get the two Warriors to let go of him with the help of Chan (they both failed). "Uhm.. good morning. Slow down a little, what's going on?" Both Warriors opened their mouths to talk at the same time but Jisoo lifted his hands to stop them. "One at a time please. Yugyeom, you first because you really need to go back to Jackson, he doesn't look happy." The younger immediately began to cheerfully babble about the ointment Jisoo had given him and how it worked amazingly well. When he was still praising Jisoo after several minutes of constant chatter Jeonghan's patience visibly ran out.

"Are you going to go back to your own Wielder now or do I have to drag you there?" he hissed, interrupting Yugyeom's monologue. Jisoo sent him a reprimanding look for being rude but Jeonghan simply ignored him while having an intense stare-down with the younger Warrior.

"Try me, I'll grill your ass, you girly..." Yugyeom trailed off and his face became oddly blank. He let go of Jisoo without any further protest and quietly walked over to Jackson, who immediately began to pull him away. As soon as the other Wielder touched Yugyeom the boy flinched and seemingly returned back to normal (although he looked rather confused).

Jisoo knew exactly what had happened when he saw Jeonghan's satisfied expression. "Was that really necessary? He would've left soon anyway, you know."

"It's faster that way," the Warrior simply said and shared a wide grin with Chan.

The Wielder only sighed and shook his head. "Oh well. Are you okay though? You look really tired."

"He didn't sleep much last night," Jihoon's voice spoke up behind him, "and you're going to regret doing that as soon as your headache sets in." He eyed Jeonghan who only shrugged in a 'worth-it' kind of way.

"I think it's some sort of issue with the distance between us. It was pretty uncomfortable," Jeonghan said, but when he noticed Jisoo's gloomy face he immediately tried to play it down. "It wasn't that bad though, I'm sure I can get used to it. Don't look so sad, cutie, it doesn't suit you."

The pet name made the Wielder crack a smile but his worry overshadowed the fluttery feeling in his stomach. "I felt it too and I think I wouldn't have been able to sleep either if it wasn't for Chan taking care of me. Do you think we should cancel the contract?"

Jeonghan completely disregarded his question for the sake of scrutinizing Chan with suspicion. "How exactly did Chan _take care of you_ last night?"

"Huh? Um... He-" Jisoo was a bit startled at the sharp tone the Warrior had used and he wasn't too sure what to make of the heated glares between his two Bonded.

"We took a shower, had some _fun_ on the couch and then went to bed to cuddle some more. Hyung was a bit _exhausted_ afterwards so he fell asleep pretty quickly," Chan said smugly with emphasis on all the wrong words. Jisoo wasn't too sure why he was blushing but somehow the statement sounded wrong and the looks he received from the Warriors only intensified that feeling.

"Yeah, I think I'll just sleep over at your place tonight," Jeonghan suddenly said. "Then we won't have _that_ kinda problem anymore."

"But I only have the sofa for you to sleep on. Isn't it too uncomfortable?" the Wielder asked worriedly, completely missing the point while trying to figure out whether his couch was big enough for the Warrior to properly lie down.

"I'll just share the guest bed with Chan. It shouldn't be a problem since we've known each other for so long - _right Chan_?"

"Sorry to disappoint you but I sleep with Jisoo,” the younger said with a satisfied grin, “also, just yesterday you said that you'd stay at your own place."

"Let's figure this out at lunch, classes are starting in five minutes," Seungcheol intervened in what could possibly turn into a massive catfight and the group reluctantly parted ways.

 

They couldn't. Even though they discussed throughout the whole lunch break (at least Chan and Jeonghan did, Jisoo was fine with everything and the other Warriors frankly didn't care) they weren't able to find a solution that satisfied all (two) parties involved.

In the end Jisoo proposed to simply try and let the Warrior sleep over the coming night, before deciding on anything long-term.


	13. Dinner

Even with the distraction Chan provided, the time until the end of their classes had gone by incredibly slow. Maybe it was because he was so tired after two nights of restless sleep but Jisoo had to fight the tempting urge to lean his head against the younger's shoulder and simply close his eyes for a few minutes. He didn't do it of course, he usually tried to be a good student to make the most of his parents' money - but on some days being attentive was harder than on others.

At least Chan seemed well rested and eagerly scribbled everything the professor said in his notepad, asking Jisoo questions from time to time the elder couldn't answer.

Jisoo's salvation came in form of his professor closing the book and dismissing them with a nod. Tiredly he stretched his arms and tried to gather the motivation to get up while Chan had already finished packing his bag and was excitedly chatting about all the new stuff he had learned today.

"You seem to like university a lot," Jisoo remarked with a smile after he had finally stuffed all of his notes into his bag.

The younger nodded enthusiastically while he skipped towards the door. "It's awesome, so many new people and all kinds of interesting subjects. Getting homeschooled was so boring, trust me, it really sucks to be alone all the time."

The Wielder's smile faded at the words of his Bonded who was too busy speedwalking towards his locker to notice. He had never really considered how lonely Chan must have been while his parents had kept him away from society. Come to think of it, the younger had not once talked about any friends he might have had before fleeing and meeting the Wielder, not even friends in his own social circle. The only one who seemed to have gotten somewhat close to him was Jeonghan and Jisoo wouldn't exactly call them friends – they had more something along the lines of a love-hate relationship (on Chan's part at least).

Suddenly it became pretty obvious to Jisoo why Chan seemed to be so overly attached and protective of him, although it was hard to imagine the talkative younger as someone suffering from loneliness. Seeing that Chan had already arrived at his locker, Jisoo decided that he would ask Jeonghan about the young Guardian later. Maybe the Warrior could shed some light on the issue.

Today no letter was waiting for them upon opening the locker and Jisoo actually felt a bit disappointed. Somehow it gave him a subtle feeling of safety to know that someone was looking out for him and guiding him, even though he didn't know the other's intentions.

 

They were greeted by the three Warriors waiting for them at the gate. "If you want you can come over too. We can have dinner together," Jisoo proposed to Jihoon and Seungcheol, "but I need to buy groceries first." The Warriors shared a look and nodded, Seungcheol stone-faced while Jihoon spared the Wielder a small smile.

Ever since the incident on the night of meeting Chan, the Guardian had been on high alert whenever they went to the supermarket (he had forbidden Jisoo to go alone, even though neither of the two had seen the thugs again), a fact that didn't escape the Warriors.

"What's wrong with Chan?" Jihoon asked Jisoo in a low voice, while eyeing the younger who was walking in front, looking around cautiously.

Jisoo sighed and answered just as quietly, "We had a run in with some thugs who tried to forcebond us on our way once, ever since then he's really vigilant when we're walking around this area. That was also the reason I formed a contract with him afterwards, he was unbonded back then and I was really scared they'd get him."

"Dirty bastards. How did you stop the forcebonding?" Jeonghan hissed from behind and stepped closer to insert himself into the conversation.

The Wielder smiled brightly when he remembered the small Guardian showing off his fighting skills. "You wouldn't expect it, but Chan can pack quite a punch."

Jeonghan looked highly satisfied at that revelation. "That's my baby."

Hiding his smile at the Warrior's smug expression, Jisoo decided that now was a good time to ask some questions. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"Of course I do, I've known him since he was like five or something. Though we'd only see each other once or twice a year, but I've always liked him more than the other spoiled brats."

"You're pretty spoiled yourself, Han," Jihoon disrupted and Jeonghan flicked his forehead in retaliation.

"Anyway, the other kids stayed away from me because of my parents' scandal but Chan never really seemed to care. He said yesterday that his parents forced us to get along but they only introduced us and then never actually showed up anymore. Too busy socialising I guess. And since he was always alone too we just naturally started hanging out."

"Do you know why he was alone?" Jisoo asked worriedly.

"I think it was because his parents are so influential, everyone is afraid of getting on their bad side. And since Chan was kinda cold to everyone they just tended to stay out of his way. He's really changed now though, if he didn't look the same - well, except for the horrible sweaters, what the hell, Jisoo? - I wouldn't have recognized him." Jeonghan spared Chan's oversized sweater (an old one from Jisoo) a very judgemental look and the Wielder felt his cheeks heat up.

"I d-didn't have the money to buy him a lot of new clothes this month," he admitted, his head bowed in shame and the Warrior immediately looked guilty while Jihoon stared his brother down. "A-anyway," Jisoo cleared his throat before Jeonghan had the chance to apologize, "how is he different from before? I've only ever known him the way he's now."

"Hm... He's more lively and I've never seen him so openly showing his feelings. I was really surprised when he got angry after we threatened you - sorry again by the way - the Chan I know wouldn't have lost it so much. He seems to like you a whole lot." Jeonghan smiled a bit wistfully. "And I'm really glad that he's opening up more, it's fun to tease him. But don't think that I'm not interested, I like you a lot too, cutie." His smile had turned cheeky and he slung an arm around Jisoo's shoulders, pulling him close. Jihoon only rolled his eyes at his brother's antics and slowed down to walk next to Seungcheol while Jisoo tried not to be affected too much. They got disrupted by Chan who told them that they were too slow and pulled Jisoo away by his arm, leaving a laughing Jeonghan behind.

 

After they had bought everything they needed for a sumptuous meal (Jeonghan had forced a very reluctant Jisoo to get all the expensive ingredients he usually couldn't afford, after 'convincing' Seungcheol to pay) and carried it home, the Warriors stepped foot into Jisoo's tiny apartment for the first time. While Jihoon and Seungcheol did not look the least bit affected (they had lived in an orphanage after all), the doubt on Jeonghan's face while eyeing the small living room was clearly visible.

"And this is where you'll sleep," Chan happily announced while pointing at the worn out couch with a wide grin, "I'm sure you'll have nice dreams."

"It's okay if you don't want to, Jeonghan, it's too small for you and I only have a thin blanket left. Maybe you can take the bed with Chan? I don't mind sleeping on the sofa" Jisoo proposed from the kitchen, busily stacking ingredients into his cupboards.

"No! Hyung, I want to sleep with you! I'll sleep with you on the couch if I have to," the Guardian immediately protested which earned him a stern look from the Wielder.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's hardly big enough for one person."

"It's okay, I'll manage somehow," Jeonghan reassured, "it's only for tonight anyway. I'll just bring a futon next time or something. Do you need help with cooking, cutie?"

Seungcheol scoffed from his spot on the floor where he had stretched out his long limbs. "You have no idea how to cook, Han. Let Ji help instead, at least we know it's edible afterwards." Jeonghan glared at him and sat on the couch, pouting, while Jihoon got up without protest.

"Ah, it's okay, Jihoon. The kitchen is not that big, it'll be hard for two people to move around and I'm used to cooking alone anyway," Jisoo hastily said, slightly nervous at the prospect of working in a small space with the cranky Warrior.

"Doesn't matter, I'm not that big either so I'll fit right in," came Jihoon's stoic response.

Silence filled the apartment before Chan piped up. "Wow, was that his attempt at a joke? That was so lame, it was actually a little bit funny."

 

Even the Warriors had to admit that Jisoo's cooking skills were no joke. Flustered by the compliments, he admitted that he had learned everything he knew from his mother, who was responsible for running the kitchen in her Wielder's house. This led to all kinds of questions about his Forcebearer parents and his upbringing in general, which he willingly answered.

Seungcheol had insisted on buying two bottles of red wine ("If I have to pay, at least let me buy what I want.") since he was convinced that it was only possible to enjoy a good steak while drinking wine - and the emptier the bottles got, the louder Jihoon and Seungcheol bantered with each other. Jeonghan seemed used to the situation and rather unaffected in general, even though he was on his fourth glass already while Jisoo and Chan both only drank one (Jisoo had been reluctant to allow the younger even a single glass, but Chan had begged him using puppy eyes and pouting until he had agreed - yes, he was weak).

At eleven the Wielder reminded the two redfaced and very talkative Warriors (who had finished the second bottle by then and were singing along to a music show on tv - Jihoon still sounded surprisingly good, Seungcheol not that much) that they had classes tomorrow and Jeonghan called a cab to get them home safely.

 

It was half past eleven when Jeonghan and Chan, who had volunteered to do the dishes, returned to the living room, only to find Jisoo deeply asleep on the couch. He was curled against the armrest, his head bent at an uncomfortable angle and had obviously fallen asleep while waiting for his Bonded to finish. There was a short silent fight about who would wake him up but in the end both of them stepped closer.

"Hyung," Chan cooed and kneeled in front of Jisoo while Jeonghan sat next to him on the couch and rubbed his shoulder, "you need to go to bed or you'll get a stiff neck." The Wielder only mumbled something incoherent and turned towards Jeonghan, rubbing his face against the other's upper arm. The Warrior blushed a soft pink while Chan gave him a dirty look. "He does that often when he's tired, don't think too much."

"Do you think the bed is big enough for three people?" Jeonghan whispered back with a grin and wrapped his arms around the unsuspecting Wielder, who only snuggled further into his chest at the warm sensation.

The younger hit the Warrior's shin and started patting Jisoo's leg to wake him up. "Of course not. And stop touching him, you pervert. Who would want to sleep with you anyway? Hyung? Hyung! You really need to go to bed now."

"Jisoo, obviously," Jeonghan replied to Chan's rhetorical question while smiling down at the sleeping Wielder, visibly enjoying the opportunity to tease the small Guardian and cuddle with Jisoo at the same time.

Jisoo slowly woke up, looking completely dazed in a way that made both Chan and Jeonghan want to coddle him. "Huh? Is it morning already?"

The Warrior laughed and Jisoo immediately was painfully aware of their close proximity (and of the nice abs moving beneath his hand - he pulled back as if he had been burned). He got up rather abruptly and stuttered something about having to brush his teeth before fleeing into the bathroom. Chan and Jeonghan remained in the living room and both couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassment.

 

It felt like it had only been a few minutes after he had finally closed his tired eyes and sunken into vivid dreams about Jeonghan and Chan competing in a race, when Jisoo's sleep was once again disrupted by loud knocking on his front door. At first he thought it was part of the dream, but when Chan began to stir next to him he opened his bleary eyes. The clock read 2:39 and he wondered why on earth anybody would be awake at this unholy time of the night - or at least awake enough to knock on his door. He climbed out of bed and shuddered when the cold air hit him after leaving Chan and the warm sheets behind. The younger had pulled the blanket over his head and seemed determined to sleep through the noise.

Jisoo silently closed the door to his room behind him while stepping into the living room, to prevent his Guardian's precious sleep from getting disrupted any further. His heart nearly exploded at the sight of a dark figure standing in the dim moon light falling through the window - until he flicked on the lights and recognized Jeonghan. "What's going on?" the Warrior whispered cautiously, obviously much more awake than Jisoo himself, who was still massaging his chest and taking deep breaths after the fright.

"I don't know, that never happened before," he answered and listened to the urgent knocks, which had neither stopped nor gotten the least bit weaker.

Jeonghan frowned and stepped closer while gathering his long hair in a ponytail which he secured with a hair tie from his wrist. The action revealed a sliver of his flat stomach and a small part of the five star mark placed there, a sight that made Jisoo feel strangely warm. "Maybe we should just ignore it, it could be dangerous."

"But it could be an emergency, let's just take a look and if it's a scam or something we close the door," the Wielder proposed while already moving down the small hallway. Jeonghan studied his tired but determined face for a moment, before he grabbed the two empty wine bottles standing next to the couch and followed him. Handing one to Jisoo, he positioned himself behind his Wielder, fully prepared to fight anyone who could possibly want to harm the other.

Jisoo slowly opened the door with a pounding heart and revealed a crying boy standing in front of it, one fist lifted and already bruising from ramming it against the wood repeatedly. It took his sleep muddled brain a few seconds to connect the dots but when he saw the lifeless body the other was half-dragging, half-carrying it suddenly clicked. "Hansol? What-"

"Jisoo! Please, you gotta help him! Please, he's dying!"

 


	14. Blood

"Oh my god, what happened?!" Jisoo's first (and not very intelligent) reaction was to let go of the empty wine bottle to help Hansol support Jun's weight, but fortunately Jeonghan was fast enough to catch it before it could burst into pieces and cut up their bare feet.

Hansol flinched at the Warrior's sudden movement and stared at him with something akin to raw fear. "Who're you?" His voice was quiet and hoarse, an eerie contrast to his usual harsh and confident tone.

"He's my new Warrior, don't worry. What's going on? Please tell me so I can help you," Jisoo asked desperately, still holding onto the unconscious Jun, whose head was lolling from one side to the other at their movement.

"He got fucking shot. Those bastards shot him and now-" Hansol's voice broke and he couldn't suppress his sobs any longer. "I didn't know what to do. Your place was the first I could think of." He took a shuddering breath. "I can't live without him."

Jisoo's heart squeezed painfully at the sight of fresh tears that ran down Hansol's face and dripped on his worn out hoodie. He also took a deep breath and tried to suppress the panic that was brewing in the back of his mind. "Okay. Let's get him inside first. Jeonghan, can you grab some towels and spread them on the couch? And get some extra too, he's probably bleeding pretty badly."

The Warrior nodded and left after a last cautious glance at the clearly homeless boy and his half-dead friend. It went against all of his instincts to leave Jisoo alone with them, but the Wielder seemed calm and in control, so he quickly did as he was told. Meanwhile Jisoo had slung Jun's arm around his shoulders to get better leverage and began to drag him into the flat together with Hansol, who looked very close to a complete mental breakdown - something Jisoo definitely wanted to avoid. "Hansol, take a deep breath and talk to me. Where exactly is the wound?"

"Th- the chest, he got shot in the chest. Oh god."

Jisoo bit back a curse. The light in his hallway was too dim to actually make out much of Jun's black shirt, but he prayed that the wound was not located too close to his heart. He could feel Jun's pulse in his wrist while holding onto him, but it was weak and seemed frighteningly fast.

They managed to manoeuvre through the living room and to lay him down on the sofa without Hansol losing his head, but as soon as he wasn't carrying his brother anymore he crumbled to the floor and hid his face, while desperate sobs shook his whole body.

Jeonghan had left towards the kitchen and wordlessly handed Jisoo a pair of scissors upon his return, which the Wielder used to cut open Jun's shirt to take a look at the damage done. It was sticky with half dried blood and clinging to the pale skin, but after a few seconds of careful pulling and plucking it revealed the still oozing wound.

Jeonghan spoke up at the bloody sight, looking slightly sick. "So, can someone enlighten me why we're not calling an ambulance, like, right now?"

Hansol immediately exploded in his face. "We can't! They'll get him there, they know he got shot! They're just waiting for us to turn up at a damn hospital and I know he'd rather die than go back to those fuckers!"

Jeonghan took a wary step back at his ferocious response and raised his hands. "Woah, easy, it was just a question. No need to get so angry." He eyed the other Warrior as if he had lost his mind and sent his Wielder a worried look but Jisoo was busy pressing one of the towels onto the wound, completely ignoring the duo behind him.

The bullet wound was located high enough to not endanger Jun's heart and it didn't seem like it had shattered a bone either, he noted with relief. There was actually a high possibility that it had went through his shoulder, which made the constant bleeding the biggest threat to Jun's life at the moment. Jisoo wrecked his brain trying to recall everything he knew about open wounds, but it had been several years since his first-aid class and the stress and fear he was still suppressing made it even harder to think clearly. He mentally repeated his mantra to calm down and to do one step at a time. "Jeonghan, I need you to hold his upper body, so I can take a look at his back to see if the bullet went through his shoulder."

Hansol had quieted down after lashing out at the Warrior and was now watching numbly while Jeonghan helped Jisoo with lifting the lifeless body. The green towel on the sofa was already dyed red in some spots and the Wielder carefully took off Jun's battered jacket to get a clear look at his back.

And there it was, a second hole, right above his shoulder blade. Jisoo wasn't too sure whether it was a good thing or not, but he decided to be glad that the bullet was at least not inside Jun's body anymore. "Hansol, can you get me the first aid kit from under the sink in the bathroom?" Hansol, who had flinched at the sudden question, only nodded quietly and climbed to his feet.

After a minute or two he returned with the kit which he had already ripped open on his way. "What do you need?"

"Disinfectant, gauze and bandages."

 

After twenty minutes of quiet and concentrated work Jisoo had applied pressure bandages to the best of his knowledge and Jun was once again lying motionless and pale on the couch. Nobody said it out loud but everyone thought about the possibility of the Warrior's wound not closing in time. There was nothing they'd be able to do if he would lose too much blood and Hansol had once again confirmed that a hospital wasn't an option.

"What about a private doctor?" Jeonghan finally proposed after several minutes of silently watching Jun's chest rise and fall. "I don't know what's going on with you and your friend but maybe my family's doctor could take a look at him."

Hansol tiredly rubbed his face and contemplated the idea. "Would he have to call the police since it's a bullet wound?"

The Warrior raised a judging eyebrow at the question. "Obviously. I doubt he'd want to lose his license."

"Then no."

Jeonghan pulled off his hair tie in frustration and agitatedly raked his fingers through his silky hair. "What the hell. Do you want your friend to die or something? He needs a real doctor, we can't just stay here and do nothing, that's a crime. And I'm not getting in trouble with the authorities for a random guy I don't even freaking know."

Hansol looked highly tempted to leave an ugly mark on Jeonghan's pretty face, but Jisoo's hand on his arm stopped him from actually getting up and physically fighting the Warrior. Instead he opted for scowling at the other.

"The situation with Hansol and Jun is a bit difficult but you're right, Jeonghan. If you want to leave, you can, I won't blame you," the Wielder said gently and smiled tiredly at his angry Bonded. The Warrior immediately deflated and mumbled something along the lines of 'not what I meant', before he sullenly leaned against the wall and ignored Hansol's presence. Hansol slumped back against the couch next to Jun's knees while Jisoo stayed next to his chest, keeping an eye on the bandages and his pulse.

 

Jeonghan's phone on the coffee table read 4:21 when the door to the bedroom swung open and startled the people gathered in the living room. Jeonghan and Hansol woke up with a jolt, Hansol with his head propped against Jisoo's shoulder and Jeonghan using Jisoo's lap as a pillow. The Wielder was the only one who hadn't been asleep, instead he had been continuously checking Jun's heartbeat and the bandages, which (to his horror) had started to slowly turn red during the past few minutes.

"Hyung, why are you..." a yawn followed, "...not in bed? Are you okay? The bond feels weird..." Chan mumbled and rubbed his chest, his eyes only half opened and his hair a complete mess.

He was obviously still in dreamland and it warmed Jisoo's heart that he had come searching for him anyway after feeling his distress. "I'm fine Channie, go back to bed. It's too cold for you here."

By now Chan had noticed that there were more people present than when he had went to bed earlier and he squinted through the dim light to asses the situation. "Hansol? What are you doing here? And why are you all on the floor?"

Hansol seemed reluctant to talk about Jun's bad condition so Jisoo took it upon himself to fill the younger in. "It has started bleeding through the gauze now, I don't really know what to do anymore," he finished tiredly and could already feel the tears burning in his eyes at the hopelessness of the situation, but he stubbornly swallowed them down since crying would only make everyone feel worse.

Chan had stepped closer and leaned over Jun to take a look himself. "You know, there's a pretty simple way to close the wound," he said, eyeing the spreading bloodstain on Jun's bandaged chest.

Hansol immediately perked up from where he had rested on the Wielder's shoulder. "Which one?!"

Chan hesitated for a moment but sighed after seeing the hopeful looks on their faces. "I don't think you'll like it much though. Jisoo has to form a contract with him, if Jun's body accepts the bond the wound will close since it was used for bonding."

Hansol's whole face lit up at the idea but Jisoo looked even more worried now. "What happens if the body doesn't accept it? And isn't this forcebonding since I don't have his consent?"

Chan ruffled his bedhead and sat down on the floor next to Jeonghan, who had gotten up from Jisoo's lap. "Well, the bond is only formed when the Forcebearer submits to the Wielder. Since he's unconscious his body might reject the contract and then the wound won't close. If that happens it might feel uncomfortable for the both of you but I don't think it'll be painful. And it's not forcebonding, don't worry hyung. Even though he didn't actively choose to form a contract it's still his body who either rejects or accepts, so you're not forcing him into it. Many Wielders actually bond that way, it's pretty common."

Jisoo still didn't look happy and caressed Jun's arm, that was stretched out next to him. "I don't think he'll like waking up bonded after the story he told us last time..." he muttered, but Hansol cut him off with an impatient movement of his hand.

"Doesn't matter as long as he lives. And you don't seem like the type to torture your Forcebearers so you're better than everything he's had before. Stop worrying and do it before he bleeds to death."

"You can just cancel the contract when he's awake again," Jeonghan consoled the Wielder and patted his knee encouragingly.

Jisoo took a deep breath and nodded, getting up to grab the sewing kit he had previously used for the contract with Chan. Hansol and Jeonghan were already carefully unwrapping Jun's bandages when he returned, while the young Guardian was watching them attentively. The wound hadn't changed much during the time it had been wrapped, although it was bleeding less by now there was still a steady flow of blood. Jisoo sat down in his former spot and swallowed nervously, while watching Jun's pale face. Steeling his resolve, he disinfected his hands before he pricked his fingertip with the needle, all while desperately trying not to think about what might happen if the Warrior's body rejected the contract. A drop of blood began to form and after another second of hesitation he carefully caressed Jun's wound with it.

The feeling this time was different from the other times he had formed a contract - and not in a good way. The Wielder clenched his jaw and pulled back, curling slightly into himself to prevent any sound from escaping. He could feel the bond forming, but this time it felt uncomfortable and restrictive, not the safe and warm sensation a new contract usually brought. Also, he couldn't feel Jun like he could feel his other Bonded, as a comforting presence deep inside his chest. It might've been because the Warrior was still unconscious but Jisoo simply knew that the bond was _wrong_. Even though it hadn't been forced, it wasn't a mutual contract like the ones he had formed before either - and he could feel it with every cell of his being. Everything inside of him screamed to immediately cancel it, to put a stop to the bond that was still forming, but he fought against the urge for the sake of Jun's life. How other Wielders could bear these kind of contracts was completely beyond him.

He got abruptly pulled back into reality by Jeonghan's gasp and Hansol's loud cheer. "It's closing, finally, oh thank fucking god!"

By the time Jisoo had focused back on the wound it was already gone, the only reminders were the cut shirt, drying blood on Jun's skin and the bandages that laid haphazardly on the floor. Hansol wasted no time to pull his brother up so he could check his back. The result was the same: The wound had completely vanished.

"Hansol, you're being too rough. Bonding won't get rid of the bloodloss and any damages done to everything that's not tissue, so if a bone was broken it still is," Chan warned and tried to stop the Warrior from manhandling Jun by holding his arm.

"Doesn't matter, he can handle a bit of pain. He just has to wake up," Hansol said happily and Jeonghan rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Since everything is fine now I want to get some actual sleep before class. You should sleep too cutie, you look like death." He worriedly patted Jisoo's cheek who forced a smile on his face.

"I think I'll stay home today to see if Jun wakes up and to explain the contract. I'll sleep when you're gone so please use my bed. Hansol, Chan, you too. If you squeeze a little you all should fit. And please don't argue, I'm tired too."

Jeonghan and Hansol exchanged death glares while Chan looked troubled but they all left without complaints and closed the door behind them after wishing him a good night. The clock read 4:57 and the light in the living room slowly turned brighter when Jisoo leaned back and watched Jun, who still remained motionless - but his face looked relaxed and his breathing had gotten deeper, a calming rhythm that pulled the Wielder in. The unwanted bond burned on his skin and finally he allowed himself to cry.

 


	15. Needles

Jisoo curled up a bit more to try and prevent the dreams from escaping for a few more blissful minutes. Everything was warm and soft, his unfocused thoughts once again drifting with the clouds and wandering towards happy places - but his subconscious kept nagging him, preventing him from fully embracing sleep the way he wanted to.

He furrowed his brows and attempted to smother the quiet voice in the back of his mind, until the unexpected feeling of Chan's fingers lightly caressing his forehead made him flinch and dispersed the dreams once and for all. Slowly he opened his eyes, only to realize that the floor in his living room hadn't turned soft over night. Instead he was in his bed, securely wrapped in his blanket - and the person next to him who had hastily pulled back his hand certainly wasn't Chan.

Jisoo blinked a few times until he was sure that he wasn't just seeing things and a sleepy but wide smile brightened his face. "You're awake!" He cringed at his own raspy morning-voice and cleared his throat with a little grimace.

Jun, who had looked slightly nervous after accidentally waking up the Wielder, laughed and visibly relaxed back into the soft mattress. "Yeah, for a while now. Guess I should say 'good morning' but it's already dark outside."

Jisoo's eyes widened and his sleepiness dissipated at once. "What?! Oh god, what time is it? Did you eat something? Are the others back already? How are you feeling?"

Jun laughed once again and shushed him softly. "No need to panic, it's still early. I'm doing pretty good, I feel kinda weak still but Hansol took care of me ever since I woke up. I think he used up your ramyeon though, sorry about that."

The Wielder only shook his head with a little smile. "That's fine, I don't mind." He rubbed his cheek against the pillow and attempted to hide a yawn behind his hand, before he focused back on the Warrior. "So you're not in pain? Everything is okay?"

Jun also snuggled further into Chan's pillow, his face close enough for Jisoo to touch if he extended his arm, and nodded. "It hurts a bit when I press on my shoulder but I very much prefer that over an actual bullet wound."

Although it sounded encouraging, Jisoo still felt the worry from yesterday creep up on him at the Warrior's words and images of dark red blood and oozing wounds floated through his mind. Their not-quite-right bond tucked weirdly in reaction to his concern, reminding him that he definitely needed to address this issue, but the worry about Jun's actual physical state outweighed his worry about faulty contracts for now.

"Would it maybe be possible for you to show me your chest?" he asked timidly after contemplating how to word the question in a way that didn't make him sound creepy (he ended up sounding overly formal instead). Jun's amusement was obvious and made him flush red, but the Warrior sat up nonetheless and took off his shirt in one fluid movement (Jisoo recognized it as one of the bigger shirts he only used for sleeping). The Wielder also got up and hesitantly moved closer while eyeing the now clean and smooth chest. He blushed even harder and Jun raised an eyebrow at him with a little grin. "I-is it okay to touch y-you?"

The Warrior looked like he was torn between laughing and cooing, but in the end he simply nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

At first Jisoo only prodded the area of the former wound lightly, but when Jun didn't show any signs of discomfort he got more daring and actually ran his fingers over the pale skin, feeling the bones and muscles beneath it for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. He was so focused on his task that he forgot to be embarrassed and Jun watched him with a warm smile, their faces mere centimetres apart. Jisoo only got aware of how close he actually had gotten when he looked up to ask about Jun's back - and the tip of his nose nearly touched the Warrior's, whose dark eyes were intently focused on his. They remained in this position for a few heartbeats until the situation really settled into Jisoo's brain and he recoiled, hastily turning around to scramble out of bed, completely flustered. But Jun easily stopped Jisoo's attempts of escaping by wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him into his lap, the Wielder's back pressed against his chest. Jisoo immediately froze, suddenly incredibly conscious of every little area where their bodies were touching.

"Let's talk for a bit longer. The others are making dinner right now anyway," Jun whispered, his warm breath fanning over Jisoo's ear and cheek, causing shivers to run down his spine.

"W-what do you want to t-talk about?" he squeaked, not quite trusting his voice. He kept staring straight at the wall across his room, not daring to move even a little bit.

"You formed a contract with me while I was knocked out and I'm glad you did. But why does it feel so different?"

Jisoo turned around at once, straddling Jun's legs and startling the Warrior (and himself) at his sudden boldness - but he couldn't bear the thought of admitting to forming the contract without looking the other in the eye. Their noses were once again almost touching and Jun still had his arms wrapped around him, while Jisoo placed his palms flat on Jun's chest, so he wouldn't topple into him completely (he tried very hard to ignore the fact that the other was still half-naked). Even though the bond felt uncomfortable and restrictive there was still a certain warmth flowing through it at that moment and Jisoo felt surprisingly safe in the Forcebearer's arms.

He took a deep breath and ignored his shyness for the sake of holding Jun's gaze. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done it without your consent but I was so scared that you might die and Hansol also- we should cancel it immediately, I'm not happy with it either-"

"What are you talking about?" Jun interrupted him gently, his long fingers rubbing soothing circles in the small of his back. "This feels so much better than my other contracts before, I've never thought that a bond could feel this good."

"You- what? It feels _good_?" Jisoo asked incredulously.

"Of course. You don't think so?" Jun actually looked rather sad at this prospect and the Wielder immediately felt bad.

"It's- it just feels... different. What did your other bonds feel like?"

"They were painful, you know. Like barbed wire wrapped around my body. But this one doesn't hurt at all, it's amazing."

Jisoo's face immediately fell at the description and a deep anger towards Jun's former Wielders brewed in his stomach - but he swallowed it down and smiled sorrowfully while brushing a strand of hair out of the Warrior's face. "That's probably what forced bonds feel like, regular bonds aren't supposed to hurt. But Jun, the contracts I make have to be based on a mutual decision, I can't handle them otherwise. That's why I need to cancel your contract."

Jun remained quiet for a while and Jisoo grew slightly nervous before the Warrior breathed a deep sigh and pulled the Wielder even closer, burying his face in Jisoo's hair. "But I _want_ to be in a contract with you," he said finally, his deep voice nearly inaudible.

Jisoo couldn't help but smile at how cute the Warrior was being, even though their closeness still flustered him. He also wrapped his arms around the other and patted his back lightly to console him. "You know, If you want to be my Warrior, you can. I'd be very happy. We'd still have to form a new contract though."

 

When Jisoo emerged from his room a few minutes later (after forcing a very reluctant Jun to stay in bed), he wasn't expecting to be greeted by the sight of five people, scattered around the living room. Chan and Jeonghan were on the couch and immediately stopped talking to beam in his direction when they noticed him, while Hansol and Seungcheol were spread out on the floor, watching TV. Jihoon had just left the kitchen, still holding a spatula and nodded at him in greeting.

Chan got up and skipped towards him, clinging to his arm. "Hyung, did you sleep well? I was a bit worried, you didn't even wake up when Hansol carried you to bed this morning."

Jisoo ruffled the younger's hair and sent Hansol a grateful smile (who was suddenly overly occupied with the TV). "I'm feeling great, I guess I was just exhausted after last night. I'm glad that Jun is feeling better though. But what are you two doing here? I didn't expect you to come by today."

"How can we not visit after Han's dramatic tale of bullet wounds and near-death experiences?" Jihoon asked sarcastically and Jeonghan opened his mouth at once for a snarky retort, while Seungcheol boredly turned up the volume of the TV. Hansol just eyed them all warily from his spot on the floor, before he decided that watching TV again seemed like the best option.

"They were all really worried actually, especially after we had trouble waking you up properly," Chan whispered, "Jeonghan called them before we went to university and they immediately came over to check on you." Happiness flooded Jisoo at his words and he ruffled Chan's hair once again before leaving towards the kitchen to investigate what Jihoon had been cooking.

 

At Hansol's insistence they had all squeezed into the bedroom so Jun wouldn't have to eat his dinner alone. The injured Warrior had been surprised but elated - at least until Hansol had jumped onto the bed and flattened him, while the rest decided to eat on the floor.

Jisoo could feel Jun's eyes on him throughout his meal and somehow it made swallowing harder. Their bond churned weirdly in his chest, as if it was trying to actually connect properly but couldn't find the right place. His other bonds seemed to be affected by it too; they pulsed more than they usually did and he had noticed that Chan and Jeonghan were especially clingy today (he had a hard time eating because they were sitting too close on each of his sides), but that could also just be the after-effect of last night's scare. After he had finished chewing his rice he set down his spoon and cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Um... Jun and I are going to cancel the contract now, so if you-"

"What? Why?!" Hansol immediately interrupted heatedly, which earned him dark looks from the other Forcebearers. "Do you not want him or something? He's a great Forcebearer, he's strong and his ability is amazing! He also fights really well, is reliable, helpful, loyal and-"

"Hansol, stop. Why are you so worked up?" Jisoo asked gently and the Warrior looked down with burning cheeks.

"It's just... he was so happy this morning when he noticed the bond..."

Jisoo smiled at Hansol's protectiveness and glanced towards Jun, who looked mortified at his brother's inability to keep his mouth shut. "I told Jun already, but I don't mind forming a new contract with him. I just can't keep the current one, it doesn't feel right."

"Oooh can I stay and watch? I've never actually seen the cancellation of a contract," Chan asked curiously and the other Forcebearers nodded eagerly.

"Uh... I don't think there is much to see actually. But if you want, sure. I only know how to cancel in theory though..." Jisoo looked a bit intimidated by the task, but he still walked over to the bed to sit in front of Jun once again (fortunately this time he was wearing a shirt). The Warrior greeted him with a smile that tried really hard to appear happy, but couldn't convince Jisoo fully. He saw the way Jun's brows furrowed slightly and how the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't worry, it'll work just fine," he said quietly and Jun took a deep breath, his smile vanishing.

"I'm not worried about the cancellation..."

"What is it then?"

Jun looked down, his eyes hidden behind his fringe. "...I'm scared that you might prefer not being bonded to someone like me."

Jisoo bit his lip at Jun's forlorn tone and moved closer to hug him. The Warrior's body stiffened for a few seconds before he relaxed into the embrace and rested his face on Jisoo's shoulder. The Wielder could feel tears seeping into his shirt and began to softly stroke Jun's hair to comfort him. He could see Hansol's torn expression and the sad faces of the other Forcebearers over the Warrior's shoulder and smiled at them, while Jihoon and Seungcheol got up to leave the room. After a minute or two he gently spoke up once again. "You really don't have to worry. You're a great guy, why would I not want to be your Wielder? Let's get the cancellation over with so we can bond properly, okay?"

Jun nodded into his shoulder and sat up straight, wiping the remaining tears away. Jisoo sat cross-legged in front of him and took the Warrior's hands in his, closing his eyes. He could sense the bond more clearly now through the contact of their palms. It felt like it was wrapping around their fingers, connecting them, but it also felt weirdly fragile, as if a carefully placed attack could shatter it into pieces. And although that was indeed a way to break a bond, it was a violent and painful one, only used when a Wielder formed a contract with an already bonded Forcebearer.

For now it was Jisoo's task to carefully cancel the contract without causing any damage. He focused on the way the bond left his body and stretched towards the Warrior, following it with his mind until he reached a bright and warm place that felt unmistakably _Jun_. There he envisioned the bond to be tied into a knot, safely secured in place, and slowly began to undo it. The more the knot loosened the less tangible the bond became, until it finally completely fell apart.

Jisoo felt an immediate sense of relief wash over him, after the constricting feeling of the contract had vanished - but the bright place he was in dimmed a little. Carefully he made his way back into his own mind and body, this time without the bond to guide him. But his other two bonds twinkled brightly, making it easier to find his way. He opened his eyes and looked at Jun, who seemed rather unhappy.

"Did it work?" Jeonghan asked from the sidelines.

"Yes," Jun answered so unenthusiastically that it made everyone laugh, only Chan looked a bit disappointed.

"There really wasn't anything to see."

"I told you," Jisoo said with a smile and his Guardian childishly poked out his tongue at him. "Could you get me the needle from yesterday please? I think I put it back in the case."

 

When Chan returned everyone had settled down a bit more comfortably. Hansol was leaning against Jun, talking to him in hushed tones while Jisoo reminisced about the soothing brightness in Jun's core and how he had kept it intact throughout the years, even though his life had been so harsh. He flinched when Chan waved his hand in front of his face. "Hyung, you're daydreaming. Here's the needle."

"Oh sorry, thanks Chan." Jisoo shook his head once to clear his thoughts and immediately proceeded to prick his finger (by now he had gotten somewhat used to the pain) under the watchful eyes of Jun and Hansol.

"Shouldn't you draw Jun's blood first?" Hansol asked, eyeing his bloody fingertip.

Jisoo only shrugged and handed the needle to Jun. "It doesn't matter who's first, but you'll have to do it yourself, Jun."

"Jisoo is doing things a bit differently," Jeonghan jumped in, "I was surprised too. Just trust him and it'll be fine."

Jun took the needle and also punctured his fingertip without a second of hesitation. They both smiled when they rubbed their fingers together and felt the bond form. This time it felt right, not constrictive but soft and loving. It also felt much more durable than the fragile contract before and Jisoo happily welcomed the sensation of Jun's presence in his heart. His bond was stronger than Jeonghan's already, probably due to the dramatic events of last night and the Wielder could sense small waves of happiness flowing through it.

Jun had looked a bit shocked at first (prompting Hansol to worriedly shake him and ask if he was alright) before a smile filled with joy bloomed on his face, his eyes getting a bit watery. "Oh god, this is amazing. I didn't know I could feel this good." He hugged the visibly confused Hansol first, who warily patted his shoulder, before embracing Jisoo, their bond warming up at the contact.

He got disrupted by Jeonghan clearing his throat and sitting down on the bed together with Chan, who pulled the Wielder out of Jun's arms by his shoulders. "You're bonded now, congrats, but you're not the only one, so you better stop hogging Jisoo."

 

While Jisoo watched his Bonded bicker with a smile, Hansol crept next to him, holding the needle Jun had left lying on the sheets. "Jisoo, you... would you... you know..." he irritatedly scratched his neck at his inability to speak. "Urgh, screw this, canIbeyourWarriortoo?" he finally blurted without looking at the Wielder, his face hot.

Jisoo was a bit taken aback at the sudden request but recovered after seeing how embarrassed the usually tough Hansol seemed. "You want to be with Jun, hm?" he asked and Hansol only nodded, still staring at his feet. "Sure. But you know, you can stay with him even without being bonded to me. Don't force yourself."

Hansol only mumbled something unintelligible and the Wielder leaned closer, trying to catch the words. "Excuse me?"

Hansol scowled but his dark expression was completely foiled by the bright pink hue on his cheeks. "I said, it's safer that way. Also Jun is happy and I want to be happy too..." He looked like a child admitting that he had stolen a cookie and Jisoo had to suppress the strong urge to pinch his cheeks.

Instead he sat up straight and watched Chan tickle a red-faced Jun, while Jeonghan was holding the Warrior's arms, happily laughing at his futile struggle. With a sunny smile he turned back towards Hansol, who still looked undeniably nervous and fidgety. "Alright. Give me the needle, please."


	16. Smiles

On Friday morning, the day after forming the contracts with Hansol and Jun, Chan and Jisoo were spending 'quality time' (that was what Chan called it at least). The other bonded Forcebearers had grudgingly agreed to spend the night at Jeonghan's apartment since it was pretty obvious that the one-person flat simply wasn't big enough for five people to sleep comfortably. And although the Wielder felt his bonds pulling him towards his Warriors he also enjoyed being alone with Chan for once (who had adamantly refused to sleep anywhere else on grounds of being the first Forcebearer and the official owner of one half of Jisoo's bed).

Fortunately classes started late on Fridays, therefore Chan and Jisoo were seated at the small table in the kitchen, eating fluffy pancakes. Chan happily chatted away about yesterday's events at university, while Jisoo listened with a smile, nodding from time to time and placing some more food on the younger's plate.

"I can't believe Yugyeom would actually ask me about you. Urgh, he's so annoying. I don't think Jeonghan likes him either, he probably wanted to hypnotize him again but Yugyeom was too hyper to look in his direction for long. At least he left us alone after I told him that you're sick. Oh and Jeonghan said that he would get his doctor to write you a sick note so you don't have to worry about yesterday's classes, isn't that awesome? Maybe we can skip from time to ti- just kidding hyung, stop looking like that. By the way, there was no letter yesterday either, I checked our locker twice. I think the writer gave up on us. Too bad, I really want to know who it is. Have I told you already that I hate that class I'm in? The one I take instead of your group project class? It really sucks, the professor is sooo boring and there is this guy who keeps looking at me and-"

"A guy?" Now Jisoo actually saw the need to interrupt his Guardian. "Who is he? Do you know his name?"

Chan took a bite of his pancake and chewed thoughtfully before responding. "I have no idea, that was my first time seeing him. But he wouldn't stop staring, it made me uncomfortable."

"Maybe he's attracted to you?" Jisoo teased with a grin and Chan choked on his pancakes.

"Then he can move right on," he said determinedly after finishing his orange juice in two big gulps.

"Do you want more?" Jisoo was already reaching for the bottle to refill Chan's glass. "What's so bad about him being interested in you though? Is it because he's a guy?"

Chan blushed multiple shades of red and shook his head. "No... I'm just not interested in him. He's not my type," he grumbled and pushed a piece of pancake around with his fork.

Alhough he usually was one to leave others alone when they got flustered, Jisoo couldn't keep his curiosity at bay this time ( _This is probably what parents feel like when their child hits puberty_ , he mused). "So, what's your ideal type then?" He was pretty sure the younger's head would explode if it got any redder.

"Uhm... I like nice people," Chan replied, decidedly not looking in his direction.

Jisoo smiled at his obvious embarrassment. "How do you know that he's not nice? You didn't even talk to him yet."

"I just know it," the Guardian said stubbornly, "also he's not pretty enough to be my type and he doesn't have a cute smile. And his eyes don't crinkle when he laughs. And his voice-"

"Okay, he's not good enough, I see," Jisoo interrupted him with a laugh and patted Chan's hot cheek.

"What about you, hyung?" the younger asked after he had cooled down a little.

Now it was Jisoo's turn to blush and he cursed himself for even starting the topic. "I don't really have a certain type I like," he answered slowly.

"Eh come on, everyone has certain stuff they like in a partner, hyung. What were your former relationships like then?"

"Uhm... I d-don't really- you know..." Chan raised a disbelieving eyebrow, making Jisoo flush even redder. "T- there was this one guy in middle school. We were f-friends and I liked him a lot, but after I confessed to him he wouldn't talk to me anymore..." Jisoo admitted and Chan immediately abandoned his food to rub his Wielder's shoulders. "I'm shy and I haven't had much friends to begin with. So I've never really tried dating someone else afterwards."

The sadness seeped through their bond and Chan hugged him close until he could feel it lessen a little. "You have us now, hyung. Jeonghan, Jun, Hansol and me; we all care about you a lot, you know? Even Jihoon and Seungcheol."

Jisoo hugged him back and felt a lot better at the thought of not being alone anymore.

 

The pair met Jeonghan, Jihoon and Seungcheol at the entrance of the cafeteria, waiting for them to eat lunch together, but it was obvious that the mood in the group was bad.

"What's wrong with you?" Chan asked after a few minutes of silent walking towards a free table.

"Those two new guys," Jeonghan spat while one-handedly setting down his tray and simultaneously slamming down his bag on a chair, "where the hell did they come from?"

Jisoo eyed the grumpy faces of the Warriors cautiously. "Why are you asking?"

"They have no manners. That Hansol guy completely flooded the bathroom while taking a shower and just left it that way for me to clean up and Jun somehow broke the dishwasher. Also he stormed into my room this morning and demanded to use my phone so he could call you, but he wouldn't tell me why. When I told him that I don't have your number he nearly walked out of the apartment, only his brother could stop him. Which reminds me, give me your number, cutie."

Jisoo laughed at Jeonghan's abrupt change of tone and handed him his phone. The Warrior accepted it with a grin and a cheesy wink that made Jihoon grimace. "Well, the two of them have been homeless for a while now and they didn't really grow up in a nice environment. I guess it's hard for them to adapt to an apartment but I also think it's too dangerous to let them live on the streets again after what happened. They're good people though, Jun probably wanted to call me because he noticed that I wasn't feeling well. I'll visit your apartment later and try to talk to them."

"Why weren't you feeling well?" Jihoon asked, snatching Jisoo's phone before Jeonghan could give it back to its rightful owner.

"Uhm, just some weird conversation topics during breakfast, nothing important. Thank you for allowing the guys to stay at your place by the way, neither I nor them can afford a hotel room at the moment."

Jihoon simply waved his gratitude away and handed him back his phone after saving the number.

Jeonghan looked sulky while poking his chicken with his chopsticks, glaring at it as if it was responsible for all the evil in the world. "What's the matter now, Han?" Seungcheol asked, his voice filled with exasperation when a piece of chicken ended up in his soup.

Instead of looking at Seungcheol, Jeonghan eyed Jisoo. "Why can _Jun_ feel that something is wrong with you but _I_ can't?"

Jisoo swallowed his Kimchi and set down his chopsticks. "That's probably because I got so emotionally invested after they showed up on Wednesday night. I can't feel Hansol, even though he was there too, so I can just assume that the bond between me and Jun is stronger because I was worried about him."

"But I'm your second Forcebearer, you should be feeling me not him!"

"Jeonghan, it's not up to me to decide how the bonds develop but I'm sure ours will also get stronger over time," Jisoo said patiently and sipped his coke.

Jihoon rolled his eyes and pushed a big piece of his pork cutlet into Jeonghan's mouth when he opened it to argue some more. Before the Warrior could finish chewing angrily a shadow fell on the table and everyone stopped eating to look at the newcomer.

"Hi. Sorry to interrupt but I wanted to borrow Jisoo for a minute," Yongguk said with a bright smile in the Wielder's direction.

Jisoo looked like a deer caught in the headlights when everyone turned to look at him. "M-me? Oh, uhm, sure."

"What do you need him for?" Chan asked, suspicion gleaming in his eyes. The Wielder elbowed his side.

"I just want to ask him something."

"I'm sure you can do that in front of us," Jeonghan chimed in, making Jisoo wish for the floor to open up and swallow him.

Yongguk's smile was surprisingly still in place when he nodded. "Of course, but I think Jisoo would actually prefer to hear it in private."

Now even Jihoon and Seungcheol looked wary, the latter observing their surroundings to check whether anyone else was behaving suspiciously - but all seemed normal. Chan had moved closer to Jisoo and glared at the tall student. "Spit it out or leave."

Jisoo turned slightly pale at his words. "Chan! Stop being so rude, what's wrong with you guys? I'm so sorry Yongguk, they're a bit paranoid sometimes."

The tall student simply laughed and shrugged it off. "Yeah that much's obvious, but I guess it's understandable. Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you want to go on a date on Sunday."

A very intense silence followed his question while Jisoo tried to make sense of the words and all the Forcebearers stared Yongguk down. "M-me? A date? With y-you?"

"Yes on Sunday. Since it seems impossible to get you to have lunch with me I thought that this approach might work better." Yongguk smiled his wide gummy smile, not the least bit intimidated by the dark glares of the Forcebearers and Jisoo felt the heat levels dangerously rising in his body. He was sure that his ears were on fire by now.

"I'm so s-sorry but I have to work on Sunday..." he said dejectedly and everyone seemed to exhale, "b-but maybe on M-monday afternoon? If you're free a-after class...?"

"Hyung! No!" Chan exclaimed immediately but the Wielder quieted him with a pleading look.

"Sure, Monday is fine too. Does your class also end at five? We can meet up at the front gate or I can pick you up, whatever you prefer," Yongguk proposed happily, completely ignoring Chan's exclamation and Jeonghan's death stare.

"F-five at the gate sounds good," Jisoo confirmed with pink cheeks and the other student nodded with a wide grin before he waved and left.

The Wielder immediately hid his face in his hands while a charged silence descended over the table. "Oh my god, what should I do?!" he finally squeaked, peeking through his fingers, not at all noticing the sour looks on three of the four faces. "I'm so excited!"

"... That's your first date, isn't it?" Chan asked gloomily and Jeonghan managed to look even moodier when Jisoo nodded.

"Yes. I can't believe he's interested in me," he gushed with a dreamy smile on his face.

"Didn't he just say that he had asked you before to have lunch with him?" Seungcheol confirmed while Jihoon next to him was stabbing his cutlet with his fork.

"Yes but I thought he just wanted to be friends."

The Forcebearers exchanged disbelieving looks at the Wielder's painful obliviousness.

 

A warm feeling flooded Jisoo when he opened his locker and found the usual folded piece of paper. After the surprise during lunch he didn't even consider the possibility of getting another letter, too distracted by the prospect of a first date with someone as handsome and kind as Yongguk. His Bonded hadn't really talked much after 'the incident' (as they referred to it), which he didn't mind at all since he was busy imagining every possible outcome of Monday afternoon (some of them made him blush heavily).

He opened the letter and was greeted by the already familiar scrawly handwriting.

_Sorry for not warning you in time but congrats on getting two new FBs. A new friend is just around the corner._

Jisoo wondered shortly whether the writer was speaking figuratively or if another Forcebearer was literally standing somewhere in the hallway. He looked up to ask for Chan's opinion, but the younger seemed to be in deep thought, so instead of disrupting him he just folded the letter and placed it in his bag for later.

Just to make sure not to miss anything important he was extra vigilant every time they walked around a corner on their way to the next class, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. Slightly disappointed he opened the door to the classroom and stepped inside, turning towards Chan to ask about the paper they had to write - only to bump into another student whose notes spread all over the floor at the impact.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Jisoo immediately apologized, scrambling to gather the papers. When he had picked up the last one he handed it to the student, who was around his height and weight, with bleached hair and slanted eyes. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Don't worry about it!" the other said, oddly happy. "Are you students of this class? I just transferred here and I need to get some of these documents to the office but since it's so early nobody is here yet and I have no idea how to get there. Could you show me the way? The name's Soonyoung by the way, what's yours?"

It had taken him approximately 15 seconds to release this flood of information and Jisoo felt slightly dizzy afterwards. "Uhm sure, my name is Jisoo, nice to meet you." Soonyoung took his hand and shook it heartily. "And this is Chan, my Forcebearer."

The student froze for a moment, but then he grinned and extended his hand towards Chan as well. "Hi Chan and nice to meet you too."

The Guardian shook it without showing much enthusiasm but Soonyoung kept smiling brightly. It made his already small eyes appear even smaller but Jisoo thought to himself that it looked rather charming.

 


	17. Overtime

The first impression had turned out to be correct: Soonyoung was an extremely lively person who liked to smile and talk non-stop while moving around with the restless energy of an overeager puppy. In the time it took the pair to guide him towards the office they had already learned everything from his favourite colour (white) to his dislike for mushrooms ("They turn so squishy when you cook them, gross.").

And it didn't stop there. When he returned after his appointment with the secretary they found out that Soonyoung was conveniently placed in every single one of their classes (and in the class Chan attended alone) and he eagerly accepted Jisoo's offer to sit with them.

Due to that offer Chan was grumpily rubbing his ears on their way to Jeonghan's apartment, wondering aloud how a single human could produce so much noise. Jisoo wisely decided against telling his moody Guardian that Soonyoung's behaviour was quite similar to Chan's when he was in high spirits.

 

When they arrived at the luxurious apartment complex Jun and Hansol were already waiting for them at the door to apartment number seventeen. Chan wasn't happy about the long hug Jisoo received from Jun but he let it go (this time) to explore the kitchen instead.

Jisoo and his two Warriors remained in awkward silence until they decided to move to the living room.

"Where's the rest?" Hansol asked after flopping onto the couch, his feet propped up on one of the arm rests. Jun sent him a look of reproach and pushed his legs from the sofa to make some space for Jisoo and himself.

"They're still in university, Jeonghan and Seungcheol are preparing something for their group project and Jihoon stayed with them," Jisoo answered while sitting down next to Hansol, who immediately stiffened at his close proximity and looked down. Jun plopped down next to Jisoo and promptly leaned his head against the Wielder's shoulder, making him flush. "B-but I need to talk to you guys." The two Warriors lifted their heads at his words and Jun sent him an encouraging smile. "Uhm... The others are a bit unhappy about some of your habits. I get that you're not used to sharing a flat and you're only here until we find a better solution but you need to get along with them somehow. And some behaviours are bound to cause conflicts, that includes not cleaning up after yourself and barging into other people's rooms," Jisoo chided gently.

Hansol nodded and avoided eyecontact while Jun looked rather contrite. "I couldn't help it, I was worried about you. There was so much sadness suddenly, I thought something had happened and since I don't have a phone it was the only way I could contact you."

"Thanks Jun, but it wasn't anything serious so no need to worry. I'll leave my number for you so you can call me on the landline whenever you're concerned, okay?" the Wielder offered and Jun was satisfied, judging by the way he wrapped his arms around Jisoo.

 

Since his bond with Jun was already sufficiently strengthened Jisoo had promised himself to make an effort with the younger of the brothers today. After he had asked Jun to prepare dinner together with Chan he focused his attention on the remaining Warrior who kept fiddling with his shirt and sat as far away as possible on the couch. Pondering his approach he decided to simply ask some questions he was curious about anyway and to see where it went from there. "Does the contract with me feel any different from the one you had before? Yours wasn't forced, was it?"

Hansol looked a bit uncomfortable at the question but still nodded. "'course it does. The other guy was a massive asshole." Jisoo bit his lip to prevent himself from criticising the younger's choice of words and just kept quiet for Hansol to keep talking. He did after a short pause. "The bond was uncomfortable. And it got freaking tight whenever he punished me. But I still got lucky compared to Jun, I'd rather get physically punished than being trapped in a forced bond."

"Is that why you took his punishments for him?"

Hansol scoffed, his face reddening in anger. "Jun never did anything that deserved punishment but that bastard found all kinds of absurd reasons. I'm sure he somehow got off on his little power plays. Did you know that he tried to punish Jun for dropping his pencil once? I emptied several buckets of water into his room before he could though, I'm pretty sure the scars of that beating are still visible. God, I hate him. I hope he rots in hell."

The raw pain in Hansol's voice cut into Jisoo like a knife and their bond was pulsing wildly in reaction to the Warrior's hatred. The Wielder bridged the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Hansol's shaking shoulders, running his fingers through the shaggy hair of the other to soothe him. Slowly Hansol's heavy breathing returned to a more normal rhythm and his overly tense body relaxed. When Jisoo pulled back the younger's cheeks were tinted pink and he looked a little lost. "You know, I admire both of you for being so strong. You're amazing."

Hansol blushed even more at the compliment.

 

Jisoo and Hansol had joined Chan and Jun in the kitchen to ensure that dinner would be ready when the others returned (and to make sure that he house wouldn't burn down), which was where Jihoon found them half an hour later. The Warrior was not the least bit impressed by the mess that was his formerly pristine kitchen but after thoroughly cussing out everyone (except Jisoo) he calmed down at the Wielder's promise to clean up after dinner.

Dinner itself was quite taxing for Jisoo. It hadn't even been five minutes after they had started eating that Jeonghan couldn't keep quiet anymore. "Do you really need to go on a date with that guy?" he asked randomly, catching the Wielder off-guard, who had been discussing new ideas for their project with Jihoon.

"A date with whom?" Jun immediately asked, eyeing Jisoo. Even Hansol was staring at him and he could feel his mouth going dry at the amount of attention. He swallowed his salad with difficulty and set down his fork.

"A friend of mine," he answered evasively and Jihoon snorted. "Why wouldn't I go? He asked me and I like him." His ears already felt overly hot again.

"You like him? As in _like_ like? More than a friendly like?" Jeonghan kept interrogating.

With all eyes directed at him, Jisoo experienced the very uncomfortable feeling of standing in the spotlight but having forgotten his lines. "N-no- I mean yes. I don't know. H-he's nice but I don't know him well enough to actually l-like him that way. Yet."

"But you might in the future?" Chan readily jumped into the conversation.

"M-maybe?" Was it just him or had it gotten unbearably hot in the living room?

"What do you even like about him? He's not thaaaat good looking," Jeonghan grumbled and Chan nodded in agreement.

"Uhm... he's n-nice?"

Jun shook his head dismissively. "Chan is nice, Jeonghan is nice, Hansol is nice," His brother glared at him. "I'm nice. That's no reason, Jisoo."

Seungcheol seemed to finally feel pity for the Wielder and waved his chopsticks in front of their faces. "Can you all stop? It's his decision who he's dating, don't butt in. If you're jealous ask him out yourself."

That immediately silenced the Forcebearers and Jisoo sent the Warrior a grateful smile after everyone had started eating again.

 

Chan had grudgingly made an appointment with Jeonghan and Seungcheol to go to the university's library on Saturday. He was lagging behind with a paper he had to hand in on Monday and the weekend was the two days of the week in which Jisoo was working full time shifts at a bookstore. Last weekend the Guardian had spent his time studying for the entrance exam, therefore he was quite unhappy to be forced to spend his weekend in the library once again but Jisoo had not allowed him to come to his workplace to write his paper there ("You won't be able to concentrate and it's rude to sit in a shop the whole day without buying anything."). Consequently on Saturday morning both of them were squeezed into Jisoo's tiny bathroom, sleepily brushing their teeth side by side, before leaving the apartment in different directions.

 

Jisoo's shift at the bookstore was long and tedious. Normally he very much enjoyed being surrounded by books and conversing with customers, but today everyone seemed to be out for blood. He got yelled at by two different people for not being able to order a book fast enough (not that it was his fault that it took a while to get it send over) and a child spilled juice all over one of the displays, soaking most of the magazines there and causing a massive amount of extra work for Jisoo and his co-workers.

When he left work it was already past eight, his stomach was rumbling and his mood was bad. Chan had texted him earlier, informing him that he would eat in the cafeteria together with Jeonghan and Seungcheol, so Jisoo decided that he could treat himself for once and get some Chinese takeout from one of his favourite restaurants to lift his mood. That required him to take a little detour though, but since nobody was waiting for him at home he had plenty of time.

Wandering through the half-empty streets, Jisoo let his thoughts float freely, jumping from random memories with his parents to his Forcebearers and new friends. It made him feel all warm and fluttery inside to imagine their faces and he focused on the bonds and the little waves of emotion that leaked through them to cheer himself up further.

He could clearly feel annoyance from Chan and he imagined the younger sitting in the library, complaining about the paper he was writing to an equally annoyed Seungcheol. Jeonghan was much less detectable but after concentrating hard enough Jisoo was sure he could feel a small surge of content; the Warrior was probably watching Chan in the typical motherly way of his. Jun in comparison shone bright like a beacon, his frustration seeping through Jisoo and since he could feel a slight hint of satisfaction from Hansol he imagined them immersed in a video game that Jun was losing tragically. The thought made him smile.

Jisoo was so absorbed in his bonds that he walked face first into the post of a street lamp. Embarrassed he ducked his head and quickly moved out of the light, hoping that nobody had noticed his little blunder while rubbing his slightly reddened forehead. But luck didn't seem to be on his side this day, since someone caught his arm and stopped him from walking.

"Look at that. If it isn't the little bird that flew away last time." Jisoo froze at the strangely familiar voice that caused a cold shudder to run down his spine. "All alone today?"

Looking up with wide eyes he found himself face to face with the man Chan had tried to avoid on all their frequent walks to the supermarket; the same man who had called himself a 'collector' while threatening to forcebond the pair. This time he was flanked by not one but two of his underlings, both less brawny than the one Chan had knocked out but not any less terrifying. Jisoo could feel the adrenaline shoot through his veins and his heart began to beat painfully fast when the leader sneered at him. "Your little friend left a nice bruise on my face and I'm all about fairness and paying back."

Jisoo took a wary step back, but the other immediately tightened the hold on his arm until it became painful. "I-I don't know w-what you're talking abo-"

"Spare me. Let's go." Jisoo struggled against his grip and had just taken a deep breath to scream for help when a painful blow to the face cut off his efforts almost instantly. He could feel his lip splitting and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, causing him to gag while he stumbled back. "First warning," the thug snarled and his underlings came even closer, grabbing Jisoo's arms and pushing him deep into a dingy alleyway that smelled of rotting trash.

Even though he felt slightly disoriented after the punch Jisoo's brain was working frantically, trying to figure out a possible solution - but he was trapped in between the two goons with the leader standing smugly in front of him, blocking the way to the bigger roads. He still tried to struggle against the men next to him but a second blow, this time in his stomach, made him falter and stagger backwards once again. The pain spread rapidly through his whole body and he could feel his bile rising dangerously.

"Trust me when I say that there won't be a third warning," the leader of the group drawled with a sickening smile and to Jisoo's horror one of the hands holding him transformed into shimmering metal. "I don't want my friend here to cut you up, you know? You're pretty and I still want to bond you, but I don't mind hiding some scars under your clothes if you misbehave."

Jisoo felt the life drain out of him at the choice of either getting cut to pieces by the Warrior or enslaved to the Wielder. He wasn't a Forcebearer but by now he wasn't sure whether that realization would actually stop the sick being in front of him.

Help came in the unexpected form of his phone. The shrill ringing pierced the night air and made him flinch at the sudden noise, alerting his captors. It was the ringtone he had assigned to Chan, the younger probably worried at the panic he could sense through the bond. The leader glared at him and peered over his shoulder to make sure no passers-by had gotten alarmed by the sound. "Turn it off, idiot," he hissed at the guy on Jisoo's left, who promptly began to pat down the Wielder's jacket for the little device. After he had retrieved it he fumbled for a few long seconds, before the second thug impatiently reached over Jisoo and simply crushed the phone in his metal fist. The loud ringing died immediately.

It was probably the only chance Jisoo would get to escape and he took it at once. With all the strength he could muster he wrenched his arms out of the distracted Warriors' grips, ripping his jacket in the process, and turned around before any of his captors had fully grasped what was happening.

 

Jisoo ran as fast as he had never run before. His lungs already felt like they were bursting out of his chest but the sounds of his pursuers only spurred him on more. He had no idea how long he would be able to keep this tempo up but his sole focus was on not getting caught again.

The streets formed a confusing maze and after a while of random lefts and rights he was completely lost. It had been a few minutes since he had last heard the heavy steps of the two Warriors behind him and after one last sprint he needed to stop to catch his breath. His legs nearly gave out after the overwhelming strain and Jisoo leaned against the dirty wall to prevent himself from falling, while he tried to get as much air into his lungs as possible without hyperventilating. His thoughts were still racing in panic and his shaking hands automatically reached for his phone before he remembered that it laid shattered somewhere on the asphalt of a random street. It was hard to stop the tears from falling.

He could feel his bonds pulsing, especially Chan's, but through all of them flowed a wild mixture of worry and fear. Jun's and Hansol's emotions seemed clearer compared to earlier, as if they had gotten closer in the meantime and he prayed that they were actually on their way to pick him up, that their bonds would somehow lead them towards him because he desperately needed someone to rely on right now.

Just when this thoughts had finally managed to calm down a little he heard voices. He immediately froze wide eyed, his heart picking up speed once again, before he carefully crept back into an even darker alley.

"The little bitch has to be here somewhere. Boss is waiting at the main intersection and he didn't cross it yet."

Jisoo closed his eyes in fear, tears finally overflowing, before he stealthily began to move away from the voices - but a looming shadow in the entrance of the alleyway made it obvious that he was too late.

"He's over there! Get him!"

He ducked his head even further and once again sprinted as fast as he could, tears glistening in the air behind him and his leg muscles starting to cramp. Winter wind bit into his wet face and the cut on his lip re-opened while his breath escaped in short gasps. Slowly but surely he started to feel lightheaded from the overexertion and panic but he forced himself to keep going further, each step a fight in itself.

Shortly before his legs could give out completely someone stepped out of the shadows in front of him and seized his jacket to abruptly pull him into the darkness next to a shut down vending machine. The force of the sudden change in direction smashed Jisoo against the wall and he couldn't help but cry out in pain when his shoulder collided with concrete - but a warm hand immediately smothered his voice.

"Shut the fuck up, they're coming."

 


	18. Guardian Angel

Jisoo sank to the dirty ground, dragging Jihoon's smaller frame with him in the process. He was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't stop gasping for air, his breath escaping in little sobs and whimpers he frantically tried to stifle with his hands, smearing blood from the cut all over his face. The Warrior crouched down next to him and wrapped him in a warm embrace to calm him down while simultaneously keeping an eye out for the pursuers. Their loud footsteps and heavy breathing had gotten extremely close and Jihoon tightened his hold and hid his face in the Wielder's hair when the two men stormed past.

It was in this moment of terror, while he listened to the other's surprisingly calm heartbeat and breathed in his natural soapy scent, that Jisoo realized how much he had actually come to trust the Warrior - although he had feared his harsh words and angry stares not even a week ago.

 

"I think they're gone for now," Jihoon whispered after a minute had passed, "fuck, that was close. What the hell happened? Who are they?" Jisoo had to consciously force his hands to let go of the other's thick sweater and reluctantly lifted his head from the warm comforting chest, but Jihoon's eyes darkened dangerously at the sight of his bloody and beaten face. "Those assholes! I'll ki-"

This time it was Jisoo who quickly sealed the Warrior's lips with his fingers. "Shhh! Let's just get out of here, I don't want them to come back," he whispered weakly and tried to get up, but his legs felt like jelly and the whole world was wavering slightly around him. Jihoon carefully helped him up and Jisoo whimpered quietly in pain. The rush of adrenaline was slowly ebbing away, leaving him tired and finally able to feel the full aftermath of the punches he had endured earlier. Half of his face was sore and his stomach felt like a wrecking ball had hit it, but it all got overshadowed by searing pain whenever he moved his shoulder. Jihoon's face clearly mirrored his inner conflict between concern and rage when he propped up the Wielder and helped him walk.

"How did you know where to find me?" Jisoo asked, after they had staggered down the street in silence for a few long moments.

"That was weird actually. I got a call from an unknown number on my way home, telling me that you're in danger and that I need to head there immediately. Of course I was sceptical but the guy sounded really concerned so I just listened to him and he led me to the vending machine and told me to hide and wait until you arrive. Then he hung up. At first I thought it was some sort of sick joke but then you came running." Jihoon smiled weakly and shook his head.

"He didn't tell you his name?"

"Just that you know him."

Silence descended once again while Jisoo pondered the possibility of his anonymous letter writer being the same person who had alarmed Jihoon. It seemed highly likely and the gratitude he felt towards the stranger was immeasurable.

Without a warning Jihoon stopped walking and yanked him around a corner into another small street. They stood there quietly for a few heartbeats and Jisoo tried to breathe through the pain in his shoulder while listening for whatever had alarmed the other - until Jihoon suddenly hissed curses. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, they're coming from both sides. We gotta run." He grabbed Jisoo's hand and pulled him along at a fast pace, the Wielder stumbling after him. As soon as their irregular steps became audible on the pavement their pursuers picked up speed as well, even Jisoo could hear them now.

"I don't think we can shake them off," Jihoon gasped after a minute. "Fuck! Bond with me, I need to use my ability if they catch us!"

"How?!" Jisoo was already wheezing, exhausted from the earlier chase and barely able to speak.

"Hit your knuckles against the walls or something," Jihoon replied, irritation lacing his voice and did exactly as he had suggested. Their speed in combination with the rough texture of the bricks was enough to break his skin and he cursed quietly at the pain. Jisoo followed suit and then reached over to get their knuckles to touch. He could feel the contract forming even while running and he was immediately filled with Jihoon's anger and determination - it helped to subdue his own panic and worry a little.

Both of those feelings flooded back with vengeance when Jihoon abruptly came to a stop, causing Jisoo to stumble into him at full speed and nearly causing them to fall. "Wha-" He cut himself off when he saw the leader of the group standing in the middle of the alleyway, smirking and aiming a gun at them. Everything in Jisoo froze.

Behind the pair their pursuers arrived, panting and holding their sides. Jihoon slowly moved sideways with measured steps, pushing Jisoo along until the Wielder's back was pressed against a brickwall and the Warrior stood in front of him, shielding his body from the approaching Wielder and his lackeys.

"Looks like we got someone new. Another cute friend to play with, this night is getting better and better." The leader leered at the trapped boys and his Forcebearers grinned disgustingly.

"Piss off, dickhead," Jihoon snarled back, his temper immediately flaring up, fury rushing through the bond in Jisoo's chest.

"Someone's a little agitated. How about you move aside so I don't have to shoot you, darling?"

"How about you go and fuck yourself?"

Jisoo whimpered at Jihoon's recklessness and tightened his grip on his Warrior's sweater, his eyes not daring to leave the shiny weapon in the other Wielder's hand even for a second.

Said Wielder looked extremely displeased at the amount of resistance Jihoon offered and nodded towards his underlings, who promptly stepped forward. The Warrior with metal skin grabbed Jihoon by the collar and dragged him into the middle of the street, easily shaking off Jisoo who tried to hold onto him. The second one once again seized Jisoo's arms, this time securing them behind his back to prevent him from escaping a second time.

Both Warriors towered over their captives but in Jihoon's case the difference was severe. The thug who held him in a chokehold was at least three heads taller and twice as wide as Jisoo's Bonded, overpowering him easily, even though Jihoon fought back with everything he got. The leader only sneered at them while walking towards Jisoo and his captor.

"I'll kill you if you touch him," Jihoon spat, his face already littered with scratches and cuts, but the Wielder simply ignored him and examined Jisoo like a rare treasure he had finally in his grasp. Jisoo closed his eyes when he felt sweaty and calloused fingers on his cheek, crawling over his skin like snails - it took everything in him not to cry out at the revolting sensation.

Sudden anguished screams stopped the mobster from going any further and Jisoo snapped his eyes open, his heart palpitating in fear of what might have happened to Jihoon. But the sight he was offered differed greatly from what he had imagined. His Bonded stood next to the metal Warrior who was writhing on the ground in pain, one hand tightly wrapped around the other's bare wrist. A few seconds later the thug stopped moving and tense silence filled the night air, before Jihoon dropped his arm, a depreciative expression on his face.

"What the fuck?!" the Wielder shrieked and immediately raised his weapon, while the second underling let go of Jisoo and took a fighting stance.

Jisoo stumbled to the side and held onto the wall to stay upright. He watched his former captor pull a lighter out of his pocket and his eyes widened in fear. "Oh god, Jihoon, it's fire! MOVE!"

The small Warrior had just enough time to jump backwards and escape the fireball directed at him - but instead of putting more distance between them he sprinted towards the fire-user, who clenched his lighter harder at the sight. Just when he had turned it on in preparation for another attack, Jisoo rammed his already damaged shoulder in the thug's back, forcing him to stumble forward with a surprised yell. Jisoo crumbled to the floor at the pain radiating through his body but it was a price he was willing to pay for stopping the Warrior from burning Jihoon alive.

Jisoo's Bonded had reached the thug by now and wrapped his hands around the first patch of bare skin he could reach - his throat. The Warrior immediately began screaming and thrashing around to get the smaller off, but Jihoon was relentless and Jisoo watched with horrified fascination how the fire-user slowly got overwhelmed by pain and lost consciousness.

The silence that followed got disturbed by the sharp click of a gun cocking. Both Jihoon and Jisoo froze at once and looked up to find the leader of the group aiming at the small Warrior.

"You think you can fuck with me?" he growled, his face pale and sweaty. "You might be a Forcebearer but I can still plant a bullet in your fucking skull."

"Please, just let us leave. If you kill us nobody wins anything," Jisoo pleaded while slowly inching closer to Jihoon.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you, but I'll kill the little nuisance for pissing me off and fucking up my Warriors," Jisoo had finally reached Jihoon and carefully moved in front of him, while his Warrior tried to pull him back, "and then I'll do things to you, you can't even imagine."

Jisoo could feel Jihoon's anger flare up once again at those words, but he ignored it and kept eye-contact with the mobster. "I'd rather die. So you either shoot me first or you leave, because I'm not going anywhere."

The thug only laughed at his determination, completely unimpressed. "Trust me, we-" He got cut off by the quiet crunching of rubber soles on dirty pavement and peered down the street warily.

Jihoon used the distraction to pull at the hood of Jisoo's jacket. "You better be hiding behind me in the next five seconds or I'll fucking make you, Jisoo. This is not a goddamn joke," he hissed into his ear and for the first time this night Jisoo found himself smiling at his Warrior's enraged tone and the warm concern that flowed through their bond.

Four figures emerged from the darkness, two on each end of the alleyway, all of them wearing black hoodies, their hoods obscuring the faces.

"You're outnumbered. Lower the fucking weapon," Hansol's voice snarled from the left and Jisoo's heart jumped into his throat in a wild mixture of relief and fear.

The thug looked around frantically, the hand that was holding the weapon shaking dangerously, yet he kept aiming at Jisoo and his Warrior.

"Stop it, Jaesang. You already got in trouble with the authorities before, don't make it worse," Jun's voice spoke soothingly from the right.

"What the- who are you?!" the thug shrieked. "I'll get the boss to fuck you up, you damn traitors!"

Hansol stepped forward and Jisoo immediately felt his heart drop when Jaesang turned the gun in his direction. "One step closer and I'll shoot!"

"Do it asshat, I dare you." Hansol took another provoking step.

The sound of the gun was deafening and the flash blinding in the dimly lit alleyway - both Jihoon and Jisoo screamed in unison.

As soon as he had blinked away the bright dots Jisoo's eyes fell on the dark shape of Hansol's body on the dirty ground. "NO, Hansol, oh my god!" He scrambled to his feet and stumbled forward, not even looking at the lunatic with the gun and completely ignoring Jihoon, who tried to hold him back. Falling to his knees next to the lifeless form of one of his Bonded, he turned him around, careful not to do any more damage.

Hansol's eyes were wide open but sightless, without their usual lively spark and something inside Jisoo shattered at the motionlessness of his pale face. He cradled the cooling body to his chest and began to cry.

 

The Wielder got startled out of his grief by warm hands that cupped his face and after he had blinked away the tears he found himself staring in disbelief at a very alive version of the Warrior he was holding in his arms. "Jisoo, Jisoo calm down! Deep breaths. I duplicate myself, that's my ability. We used it to distract Jaesang, I'm so sorry for scaring you!"

Jisoo numbly looked down and the dead body shimmered and vanished without a trace. He looked back up to Hansol who was crouching in front of him, flanked by a concerned Jun and a beat up but smiling Jihoon and immediately flung himself into the Warrior's arms, where he dissolved into tears once again. "Oh god I thought you died, I thought he would kill us all or forcebond you and sell you, I'm so glad you're all okay, I'm so happy I can't stop crying, oh god..."

Jisoo kept rambling for a while and Hansol shyly held him and patted his head to calm him down, before Jihoon spoke up. "We need to get outta here. Jun knocked the guy out and his Warriors are still unconscious but we need to call the police and get out before anything else happens."

"I'm pretty sure he'll go to jail if he gets found with a gun, it's not his first time breaking the law and he's not important enough for the Organization to do something about it," Jun agreed and Jihoon pulled out his phone.

But after taking a look at the screen he smiled wryly and slipped the small device back in his pocket, causing the other Warrior to raise his eyebrows at him. "Mr. Unknown-Number sent a message a minute ago, writing that he already called the police and that we have twelve minutes until they arrive."

"Wait, that guy contacted you too?" Jun asked incredulously and Hansol looked up from caressing Jisoo's face, who was dozing off against his chest, panic and exhaustion slowly taking their toll. "We got a call on your landline telling us where to go. We may or may not have taken some of your money to pay for the cab though..." Jun finished sheepishly, an abashed smile on his face.

Jihoon just rubbed his temples and shook his head in annoyance, glancing at the tired Wielder. "Whatever. Since you saved our asses I'll let it go, but if you touch my stuff ever again I'll rip your heads off. Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas to everyone who's celebrating :)


	19. Abilities

Jisoo was running through the darkness. He didn't know what he was running from but he knew that if he got caught something terrible would happen. His limbs felt heavy and awkward, not moving at the fast pace he wanted them to and he struggled to keep going. Whatever followed him seemed to come closer; he could feel the fine hairs on his arms rising and he desperately tried to run even faster.

In the distance a light appeared, slowly, but still a ray of hope in the inky night. He sprinted towards it with all the strength he could muster, his breath echoing loudly in his ears and it became brighter the closer he got; bright enough to make out a figure sleeping on a bed, white clothing on white sheets, framed by dark wood.

With a last monumental effort he finally reached the cone of light and the feeling of dread vanished instantly. Jisoo slowed down and stepped closer to the wooden structure. Something inside of him urged him to look at the person, to see their face so he could confirm their identity. His curious gaze wandered over a white shirt and nearly equally pale skin, over blue-tinted lips, a straight nose, until it met dark lifeless eyes full of silent reproach - Jisoo woke up with a loud gasp.

He was shaking and tears threatened to fall but he forced them back and reached for Chan's warm body next to him - only to find the bed empty. In panic he felt around and his searching fingers came in contact with the smooth surface of a small lamp and its switch. It took him a moment to recognize his surroundings even with the light turned on; he was in one of the guestrooms of Jeonghan's apartment, sitting on the bed his Forcebearers had tucked him into not even four hours ago, judging by the clock on the shelf.

Jisoo climbed to his feet with slight difficulty. Although he had applied ointment to his shoulder after taking a shower earlier it still hurt and it probably would stay that way for several days. Chan had completely freaked out after seeing Jihoon's and his faces, and Jihoon had to force Jeonghan to not immediately call an ambulance for them. Instead he had sent Jisoo to bed, seeing how exhausted the Wielder was.

Jisoo crossed the room, soundlessly stepping into the dark silent hallway. Each door was closed and no light was seeping through the cracks, indicating that he was the only one currently awake. His bare feet made soft tapping noises on the wooden floor until he stopped in front of one of the guest rooms. After hesitating for a few long seconds he finally pressed down the handle and slowly opened the door.

Both Warriors were deeply asleep and Jisoo's heart thumped painfully at the sight of Hansol spread out on his bed, his dark hair a wild mess on the white pillow. But this time the younger's eyes were closed, his chest was moving and light snores escaped his parted lips.

Jisoo stepped closer, not quite sure what to do. He had seen that the Warrior was alive and well but the urge to stay was not yet gone. The crystal clear image of Hansol's dead face once again floated through his thoughts and regardless how hard he tried to suppress it, it came back to haunt him. He swallowed his tears and rubbed his eyes. Reaching out with shaking fingers, he gently caressed Hansol's cheek; he needed to feel the warm skin, just to make sure...

The younger mumbled incoherent words at his touch and adorably crinkled his nose. Jisoo froze, not wanting to wake him - but it was already too late and Hansol opened his eyes, blinking the sleep away. "Wha...? Jisoo? 'rything okay?" he asked hoarsely and tried to suppress a yawn.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I had a nightmare so I just wanted to check..." Jisoo whispered before the lump in his throat stopped him from speaking and he sniffled quietly.

Hansol looked concerned but helpless. Not used to getting woken up by distressed Wielders, he started spouting whatever came to his mind to lift the heavy atmosphere. "No need to apologize, I'm a light sleeper anyway. You can detonate a bomb next to Jun without waking him up though, that's why back then I was always in charge of..." he trailed off when he noticed Jisoo shivering. "Uhm... Do you, you know, do you maybe wanna lie down?" His blush was nearly invisible in the dim light of the moon but his awkward tone was hard to miss.

The Wielder looked not any less awkward, but still nodded shyly and Hansol lifted his blanket for him to slip in. The two of them laid next to each other in the small one-person bed, stiff like blocks of wood and barely breathing - and overly aware of their touching sides.

After a few moments of embarrassed silence, Hansol had summoned enough courage to speak up. "I'm really sorry, y'know? It was the best plan we could come up with in the short time we had but we didn't think of the consequences. And we're both kinda used to it anyway, they were using my duplicate for all kinds of stuff back then. Most of the time as a decoy. So I really didn't think about how it would affect you."

Silence descended once again before Jisoo turned to his side, facing the Warrior who was still looking at the ceiling. "I'm not angry. It was a good plan and it worked well, I'll get over it eventually," he said quietly while tracing Hansol's facial features with his eyes. It soothed the burning anxiety in his chest to see the way his lips formed words and how his brows furrowed in worry.

He was surprised when the younger turned towards him as well, the bed creaking at his sudden movement, and extended a hand to caress his bruised cheek with a feathery touch. "Does it hurt a lot? I'm sorry we were so late..."

Jisoo was sure that the Warrior could feel the heat his flushed skin was radiating but the hand remained steady on his face, not once stopping the soft ministrations. "It's n-not your fault, Hansol. And it doesn't hurt that much, I-" His breath caught in his throat when Hansol's fingertips moved smoothly towards his lips and gently touched the little band-aid Chan had placed on the corner of his mouth.

Hansol's gaze remained on Jisoo's lips for a long moment before he met his eyes, trapping the Wielder in the intensity of his dark irises. "I really like it when you say my name."

The emotions flowing through the bond were soft and sweet like cotton candy and Jisoo teared up once again when they touched his heart. His Bonded noticed his pain and smiled sadly before he extended his arms and pulled the Wielder closer, their bodies perfectly moulding into each other. Jisoo buried his nose in Hansol's neck and let all of his fear and anxiety flow out while the younger held him and provided the warmth he needed to not fall apart.

 

Not only the Wielder got woken up too early by loud voices.

"Urgh what the heck?" grunted Jun without opening his eyes, while Hansol wordlessly pulled the blanket up further over their heads and rubbed his nose against Jisoo's temple who smiled fondly at the sweet gesture.

The bedroom door flew open with a loud _bang_ and not one but four Forcebearers rushed in.

"Jun! Jisoo is gone!" Chan exclaimed and the Warrior immediately sat up in bed, fully alert.

"What?!"

Jeonghan nodded urgently, his face pale and worried. "I went to check on him but he wasn't in his bed. He could-"

"Uhm... I'm here," Jisoo interrupted the frantic voices and struggled to turn around to face the Forcebearers, peeking out from beneath Hansol's blanket. The Warrior used the chance to snuggle even closer against his back.

The emotions displayed on the Forcebearers' faces ranged from annoyance (Jihoon) to relief (Seungcheol), but the majority looked rather shocked that their Wielder was sleeping in a bed with someone that wasn't Chan.

After a few beats of silence, Jun took the word. "Wow, when did you slip in? I didn't hear anything."

Hansol snorted, his breath tickling Jisoo's neck. "You sleep like the dead, you wouldn't even notice if a tank rolled into the room."

Jun glared at his brother over Jisoo's shoulder but before he could answer Jeonghan had taken over, his voice rather sharp. "Mind explaining what the two of you did last night to end up like this?"

Jisoo sat up and sleepily rubbed his eyes, prompting Chan to walk over and sit next to his knees. "I dreamed of yesterday's... events and Hansol helped me calm down after I woke him up by accident."

Jeonghan looked slightly remorseful and Chan worriedly patted his Wielder's leg. "How are you feeling now, hyung?"

"Much better, sleeping really helped," he answered with a small smile.

"Let me take a look at your shoulder," Jihoon suddenly said in the no-nonsense-voice he usually used exclusively on his brothers and strolled over to get him out of bed.

Jisoo looked at him wide eyed and clenched the blanket as if it could protect him. "N-now? I didn't even take a shower yet."

"Doesn't matter. I didn't bother you about it yesterday because you were tired but I need to see the actual damage. And don't pretend like it doesn't hurt, I saw your reaction whenever you used your arm."

"What is he talking about, Jisoo?" Jun asked, his voice tense and he was far from the only one looking unhappy.

Hiding behind the blanket even more Jisoo squeaked a very quiet "I hurt myself a little".

Chan impatiently pulled at the blanket and revealed the blushing Wielder. "And why didn't you tell us immediately?"

"Uhm.. I was tired and I didn't want you to worry? It's really not that bad."

"We'll see, I guess." Hansol said shortly and used his position behind Jisoo to grasp the hem of his shirt.

"Hansol, I can do it myself!" Jisoo held onto his shirt for his dear life but the pain in his shoulder made him grimace.

"You're hurting him!" Chan nearly fell on top of the couple in his quest to save the Wielder but Seungcheol reached him in time and pulled him off the bed. Hansol immediately let go of Jisoo's shirt and held up his hands, an apologetic look on his face.

"Okay, everyone calm down," Jihoon commanded. "Hansol, behave yourself; Chan, sit on Jun's bed; Jisoo, take off your shirt. No discussions."

Jisoo got up and removed his baggy shirt, careful not to use his shoulder too much in the process. He flinched when an audible gasp was heard from the Forcebearers and hastily sat down on the bed again to hide his injuries.

"What the hell happened to you?!" Jeonghan exclaimed, shock evident on his face at the sight of the purple and blue bruise that stretched over the majority of Jisoo's stomach, only overshadowed by the even larger bruise that decorated his left shoulder. "Why didn't you tell us?! I'll call the doctor right now!"

Jeonghan tried to leave the room but Jihoon pulled him back and silenced him with a single glare. "I know that your shoulder is my fault but what happened to your stomach?" he asked Jisoo calmly.

"It's not your fault, don't say that. They punched me when I resisted, so pretty much the same reason why my face looks like this." Jisoo answered matter of factly and the tension in the room rose noticeably.

"Those goddamn bastards," Hansol growled, "I should've made them bleed." Jun and Chan nodded while Jeonghan walked over and sat next to Jisoo on the spot Chan had occupied not too long ago.

Jisoo quickly put his shirt back on. "Is it okay to ask some questions about yesterday?" he inquired hesitantly to lead the topic away from his body and leaned a bit closer towards Jeonghan, who wrapped an arm around him.

Jun shrugged. "Sure, go ahead but I'm not sure if we can tell you anything new."

"How did you know where we were?"

"Well, apparently the same way Jihoon knew: someone called and gave us a location. He didn't say his name though, but he sounded pretty young. Around our age I guess." Jihoon nodded in agreement. "The area is pretty close to an area where the organisation has one of their houses so we know it pretty well. It wasn't that hard to find you after getting told some of the places you were close to. Also, that's probably the reason Jaesang was there in the first place; guess he was doing some sort of business."

"How do _you_ know him?" Seungcheol asked sceptically but Jun only laughed his suspicion off.

It was Hansol who answered this time. "Park Jaesang's a low life. Low ranking member of the organisation we worked in, who takes too damn much pride in smuggling weapons and in his 'collection'," he scoffed and Jisoo winced at the word, while Chan's eyes narrowed dangerously in recognition.

"He's not like the other Wielders who care about ranks, he goes for looks. Which is probably why he's never bothered Hansol and me; he likes his collectibles cute and pretty. He probably started salivating as soon as he saw Jisoo," Jun said, his disgusted expression mirrored by the other Forcebearers. Jeonghan pulled the Wielder even closer into his side and caressed his arm.

"That guy... He's not the same one we've met before, is he?" Chan asked after a few beats of silence.

"He is. He recognized me on my way home and his Warriors pulled me into one of the sidestreets. I think at first he just wanted payback for last time but then he got interested..." Jisoo trailed off and shuddered. "Your call actually helped me escape. I'm not sure what would've happened otherwise," he finished with a weak smile and Chan looked like he was about to cry. Seungcheol patted the younger's shoulder and Jun smiled encouragingly at him. "Well, and then Jihoon showed up and helped me out. Oh, I completely forgot but we can cancel the contract now."

The small Warrior looked a bit taken aback before a light tint of pink dusted his cheeks. "I don't... You know... It's not so bad. Let's just leave it like this, it's convenient." The other Bonded grinned at him and his blush deepened while he glared back.

"I'm glad. It feels good to be bonded to you," Jisoo said and Jihoon just nodded wordlessly, avoiding his eyes. "What exactly is your ability though? You did something that made the others scream in pain."

Jihoon looked up, his usual nonchalant expression back in place. "It's exactly that; I cause pain. It's not a very nice ability."

Everyone stared at him in fascination (well, except for his brothers). "How does it work?" Chan asked curiously, but the Warrior shrugged.

"No idea. I need skin contact for it to work, so I'm guessing that it has something to do with nerves and pain receptors. There are not many people who know about it since it's a level five ability and I'd rather keep it a secret, that's why I've never tried to find someone who might be able to explain it."

"It's amazing how different abilities work. Chan also needs touch but it's enough to touch the clothes," Jisoo added with sparkling eyes.

"Mine needs touch too," Jun piped up, "you actually saw it yesterday."

"Huh? When?" Jisoo tried to remember if he had seen anything unusual regarding Jun but nothing came to his mind. His confusion was obvious and Jun looked pleased with himself.

Hansol rolled his eyes at his brother and grinned at Jisoo. "I'll give you a hint: I can only duplicate myself once."

Jisoo still looked lost but Jihoon raised an eyebrow. "There were four people when you arrived. Do you duplicate yourself too?"

Jun gave him a thumbs up and smiled even wider. "I also duplicate, not myself but abilities. Sadly I also get the repercussions that come with them, so I'd rather not duplicate yours, Jeonghan."

"Woah that's so cool," Chan immediately gushed, "so you can use all abilities? Are there any limits?"

"Not that I know of. I can only use them while I touch the Forcebearer and only one at a time though."

"It would be interesting to know if it works on Chan, since he nullifies abilities," Jisoo mused and both Forcebearers immediately perked up.

Chan was next to Jun in seconds and held out his hand. "Wait, we need an ability to test it with." They both eyed Jihoon who sent them a dark smirk and they hastily looked to Jeonghan instead, who obviously was not happy at the prospect of risking a major headache.

"I can do it," Seungcheol suddenly spoke up and everyone but Jihoon turned to stare at him. The small Warrior didn't seem the least bit surprised at his brother's sudden change in mindset. Seungcheol grinned at their disbelieving faces. "Since everyone is so happy with Jisoo as their Wielder I want to give it a shot too. Also my ability is similar to Jeonghan's but I don't get headaches afterwards, it only drains me pretty badly."

"So, what exactly is your ability?" Jun asked warily.

"He messes with your brain," Jihoon answered with a wry smile, "his power is Possession."

 

Jeonghan had finally called his family's private doctor, who had arrived at the apartment not even twenty minutes later and taken a look at Jisoo's bruises. After a lot of touching and stretching he had determined that the shoulder was sprained and prescribed him painkillers. He also had forced Jisoo to wear a sling, something the Wielder wasn't the least bit happy about (but his Forcebearers watched him like hawks to prevent him from taking it off). Shortly after Jihoon had called Jisoo's workplace and sent them a copy of the doctor's certificate.

After Jisoo had formed a contract with the final Forcebearer of the household (using the fancy dagger he had already used for Jeonghan's bond) the group gathered in the living room, to test whether Chan's or Jun's ability would prove stronger. Hansol had started taking bets and the current score was 2 to 1 in Jun's favour (Jisoo had abstained from betting). Jun had also volunteered to let himself get possessed first, just to know what it actually felt like. Therefore Seungcheol was now meditating on the couch, while everyone was waiting with bated breath around him, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Oh god, that's so weird," Jun suddenly said grimacing, "I can actually feel him in my head."

"Wow, what's it like?" Hansol asked, while eyeing Seungcheol's still figure.

"Well, I can hear his voice an- there's different intensities. I can take over the body completely or just the voice, like I'm doing it now. It's also possible to only communicate with him inside his head, I prefer it since it's not as exhausting as actually taking over." Jun froze and blinked before shaking his head.

"Possession is a powerful ability but as a Warrior I'm pretty useless. I need to concentrate to use it so it's not something I can do on a whim, even though it's considered an offensive ability," Seungcheol continued his explanation from his own body.

"It's still amazing," Jisoo said with a bright smile, which earned him a chuckle from his new Warrior.

"Okay, let's do this!" Chan exclaimed, all hyped up to protect his Guardian pride. He and Jun held hands and each held onto Seungcheol's shirt, who concentrated again. After a few minutes of silence both he and Jun suddenly groaned in pain.

"What happened?" Jeonghan inquired, clearly not even a tiny bit worried about their health.

Seungcheol rubbed his temples and grimaced. "I can still detect Jun but it's much harder to grasp his mind than it should be, so his ability is working somehow. I can't detect Chan at all though, so I guess he won."

Hansol and Jihoon groaned in disappointment after losing their bets, grudgingly watching Jeonghan who had just earned himself two personal maids to clean his room and who celebrated by hugging an overly smug Chan.

The younger grinned before he shook off Jeonghan's grabby hands and took a seat in Jisoo's lap, carefully avoiding the injured arm of his Wielder. "Well, I guess Guardians are better after all."

 


	20. Soothing the pain

After the events of Saturday evening, Jeonghan had forced Jisoo (and consequently Chan as well) to sleep over for one more night. Originally he had tried to persuade Jisoo to move in completely with varying degrees of success (while "It's safer" had left Jisoo unconvinced, "We wouldn't miss our Wielder so much if you lived here" had provided a bit of a moral dilemma) but Chan foiled all of his attempts with the argument that they could meet anytime anyway and that Jisoo loved his little flat, to which Jisoo agreed. Jeonghan had given Chan the silent treatment for the next two hours.

 

This night wasn't much different from the last one. Although the Forcebearers had done a good job in keeping Jisoo entertained and distracted throughout the day, as soon as the lights had turned off and he was alone in his room his imagination ran wild once again. The shadows were too dark and the noises in the apartment building too unfamiliar to offer him any comfort, not the usual creaking of old wood and pipes he was used to from his own flat. It was like a movie started running in his head, small snippets of Jaesang holding a gun, the fire-user trying to burn Jihoon, Hansol stumbling and falling, heavy steps following him... He wasn't sure when he had drifted off but just like last night he woke up with a choked off gasp.

Curling into himself, he tried to calm down, however the tears were already flowing freely and it felt as if a fist had closed around his lungs, making it hard to breathe. The knocks on his door got drowned out by his sobs but even through the haze of tears he saw the figure walking towards his bed. Immediately he froze beneath his blanket and cold tingles of fear filled his body while he stared at the shadow.

"Keep breathing. It's just me." Jihoon turned on the small bedside lamp and sat at the edge of Jisoo's bed.

"W-why are you awake?" the Wielder finally asked after his heart had calmed down a little.

"I felt your fear so I came to check if everything is alright. It doesn't look that way though," Jihoon said, watching him closely.

Jisoo ducked his head in shame. "I'm sorry."

Jihoon smiled warmly, an expression rarely seen on his face and Jisoo felt a little bit better at that sight. "Don't be, it's normal to feel distressed after traumatic events. I might not look like it but seeing Hansol die affected me too, which is why I was awake in the first place."

The Wielder's face immediately fell. Guilt gnawed at his conscience at the thought that everyone had been focused on him and his well-being throughout the day while nobody had stopped to ask whether Jihoon was feeling alright. Jihoon, who always hid his feelings behind a stoic face and snarky comments but whose emotions usually showed concern and care when they flooded through the bond. "Oh my god, Jihoon, I'm so sorry; I should've talked to you! I should've asked how you're doing but I was so preoccupied with myself... I'm a terrible Wielder, no, a terrible friend! I don't know how to-" Jihoon's fingers on the back of his hand stopped his rambling and he looked up to meet his Warrior's eyes.

"It's okay, really. I've been through some shit before; I'm tougher than I look and Cheol talked to me earlier anyway." Jisoo swallowed and nodded but shame was still burning in his chest and he was sure Jihoon could feel it as well. "Move over," came the sudden gruff command and a small warm body pressed into his side. "Stop staring. You look like you're about to cry and I wouldn't be able to sleep with all that sadness coming through the bond." Jihoon avoided his eyes and turned off the light.

Jisoo smiled and dared to move a little closer, his arm resting on the Warrior's stomach. "Thank you, I feel better already."

"This is a one time thing and I'll hit you if you tell anyone," was Jihoon's brusque reply but his voice was tender and his hand wrapped around Jisoo's.

The Wielder hesitated for a moment before he spoke again. "You and Seungcheol are really close, aren't you?"

He could hear Jihoon take a deep breath. "Yeah. I've known him ever since I can remember. I was brought to the orphanage when I was still a baby because my parents died in a car crash and Seungcheol took care of me while I grew up. He might seem like an easygoing dumbass at first but living in a place like that toughens you up quite a bit. Not that it was a bad place, the people working there were okay and everything but most of the other children were complete idiots. It's an ongoing competition for everything: food, blankets, toys, affection – you just learn to adapt and live with it. Plenty of bullying was happening too but thanks to Cheol I rarely got in trouble. We didn't really care about anyone there, it was only just the two of us. I was terrified of him getting adopted without me but we would always behave the worst we possibly could when potential parents came in, so it never happened." Jisoo could hear the smile in Jihoon's voice while he was reliving his memories. "It changed when Cheol was twelve and I was ten. We had snuck out at night as usual but we weren't careful enough so we got caught by the guard and had to run. I've always been a small kid so I was slower than Cheol and I was so focused on following him that I ran in front of a car." Jisoo sucked in air through his teeth at the thought of little Jihoon getting run over but the Warrior only laughed at his reaction. "I spent two months in the hospital and Jeonghan's family visited me every day. But I was always ignoring them and crying for Seungcheol because he couldn't get out of the orphanage to visit me. 'I want Cheollie, why is he not here?'", he imitated a high children's voice and Jisoo felt his heart crack a little. "And one miraculous day, he suddenly stood in front of my bed together with Jeonghan and his parents and told me that we would get adopted by them. I remember not being happy about it because Jeonghan was a spoilt little shit and I was scared that he would take Cheol away from me but surprisingly we got along pretty well later on. They went through with their promise and adopted us when I turned eleven and I couldn't wish for a better family."

Jisoo smiled when he felt the content the other was radiating. "I'm really glad that everything turned out so well for the two of you."

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Jihoon spoke up once more but this time he sounded the most vulnerable Jisoo had ever heard him so far. "I've been wondering: Do you think my ability is scary?"

Jisoo peered through the darkness and tried to make out the expression on Jihoon's face but he could only see his silhouette. "Why would I? It saved both our lives."

"Yes but... I don't know. Most abilities are destructive but there's just something about mine... Sometimes I feel like a monster. When I turned eighteen, I wanted to test my ability and I hurt Cheol by accident... Yesterday was the first time that I've actually used it ever since then." His voice had turned more quiet the longer he spoke and Jisoo could feel his pain and doubts seeping into his heart. He squeezed his Warrior's hand in response.

"Jihoon, it doesn't matter what your ability is; as long as you use it to help, it's a good ability. It wasn't your intention to hurt Seungcheol and the fact that you still worry about it shows that you're a great person. We're all blessed to have you around," he said gently and hugged Jihoon closer to comfort him. The small Warrior remained silent but he buried his face in Jisoo's healthy shoulder and the heavy atmosphere seemed to lift a little.

It didn't take them long to fall asleep.

 

When Jisoo woke up (or more like got woken up by Chan who pounced on him to get his usual amount of morning-cuddles), Jihoon was already gone. After a harsh struggle with his clothes and his sling, he met him again in the dining room where the Warrior was sipping black coffee ("Like his soul," Jeonghan said before adding a generous amount of milk and sugar to his own) and reading the news on his tablet. Everyone was assembled with the exception of Jun and Hansol and while he watched Jeonghan and Chan bicker over the marmalade, Jisoo thought that this way of starting the day wasn't too bad.

Seungcheol seemed to be the designated driver of the family and with a bit of squeezing and a few elbows here and there everyone eventually fit into his car. Jisoo had taken the passenger seat after the Forcebearers had blocked the doors to the backseats and glared at him when he had tried to reach for the handle with his healthy arm.

 

They separated when they arrived on campus; Jisoo and Chan making their way towards building three. For late-winter it was already quite warm this morning and Jisoo felt sweat building up at his hairline while he climbed the stairs to the third floor. The bruise on his stomach was hurting with every breath he took and Chan looked on in worry while his Wielder struggled.

"Chan, could you please go first? We won't get any proper seats this way and I don't think I can sit on the floor today."

For a moment the younger seemed like he wanted to protest but then he nodded and took Jisoo's bag. "Okay. There's still 15 minutes left so be careful and take your time, hyung."

Jisoo smiled and nodded reassuringly but as soon as the younger had left, he leaned against the wall with a groan. He scolded himself for forgetting to take his painkillers, he had always been neglectful when it came to pills and medication although before his parents had been there to remind him.

Footsteps on the stairs behind him alerted him of a new presence and he hastily straightened up and tried to look as normal as possible. Luckily for him, the person taking two steps at a time with his long legs turned out to be Seokmin who immediately grinned brightly after recognizing him. "Jisoo, hi!" His sunny smile dimmed drastically when his eyes fell on Jisoo's sling and the bruise that decorated his face. "What happened to you?!"

"Oh, hi Seokmin, what are you doing here? Erm... I had a small accident."

The Forcebearer didn't look convinced but he went along with it. "I see... Nothing much, just an errant for Kangin. I'm normally in building five. I'd ask you if you had a nice weekend but it doesn't really seem like it."

Jisoo laughed but immediately winced at the pain that shot through his stomach. Seokmin worriedly stepped closer at his contorted expression and tried to hold his bruised shoulder, making Jisoo recoil. "Ah, please don't touch my shoulder; I have to wear the sling because I sprained it."

Seokmin looked at him and the Wielder blushed at the unspoken questions that hung heavily in the air. "Did you meet up with any other students so far?" the Forcebearer suddenly asked and Jisoo eyed him quizzically.

"Only with Chan. Are you searching for someone?"

"No. Don't tell anyone about this, especially not Kangin." Seokmin placed his hand on Jisoo's hair and closed his eyes. The familiar warm feeling he had noticed every time Seokmin had tried to cheer him up in the past flooded him and breathing suddenly became a lot easier and much less painful. The Forcebearer opened his eyes again and scrunched up his face, holding his shoulder and stomach. "Urgh, that was pretty bad. I wouldn't even be able to get up in the morning like this." Jisoo stared at him in awe, his mouth hanging wide open, causing Seokmin to laugh and push his chin up with his fingertips. "Yes, I'm a Healer, but don't tell anyone please. Kangin is super careful about keeping my rank a secret. Oh, but you can tell Chan since he'll see it anyway."

"See it?" Jisoo asked puzzled, still trying to make sense of the last minute.

"Well, you're handsome by nature but your face looks better without multiple shades of blue in it," Seokmin said with a cheeky grin and Jisoo blushed in response, "but I really gotta go or I'll be late. See you in class!" And he hurried away, still taking two steps at once and leaving behind a baffled Wielder who massaged his perfectly healthy shoulder.

 

Chan was extremely worried when his Wielder slumped down on the seat next to him only three minutes before the start of the class. "Hyung, are you okay? Is it very painful? I can go and get some painkillers from the pharmacy during lunchbr-" He stopped and examined Jisoo's face. "Where's your bruise? And why are you not wearing your sling? The doc told you not to take it off!"

"Seokmin is a Healer."

Chan looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Huh?"

Jisoo laughed at his confused face and noted with satisfaction that his stomach didn't hurt this time. He lowered his voice to keep the other students from overhearing. "I met Seokmin just a few minutes ago and he healed me completely. I promised not to tell anyone but you since Kangin wouldn't like it."

"Another rank five? There's more here than I thought there'd be. But Jeonghan and-" Chan cut himself off once again when Soonyoung skidded to a stop next to them.

"Woah, I made it! I was so sure I'd be late! How ya doing guys? Did you have a good weekend? Can I sit with you?"

"Hi Soonyoung. Sure, take a seat. Our weekend was okay, what about yours?"

Soonyoung's eyes lost a bit of their sparkle but he caught himself and smiled even wider. "Not too bad, I visited my home. What did you guys do?"

Jisoo glanced helplessly at Chan who smoothly took over. "Jisoo works during the weekends and I studied. I had to finish a paper."

"Oh, I see. You seem to know a lot about him, are you his Guardian?"

Jisoo nodded with a proud smile while Chan unhappily watched Soonyoung take a seat next to him. "Yes, we actually live together." Before Jisoo could continue, the professor stood up to begin the lecture.

 

All throughout lunch break Soonyoung followed them around like a puppy, much to Chan's annoyance. Jisoo though it was endearing that the student tried so hard to make friends and the other Forcebearers didn't mind his presence much either (although Jihoon didn't look too happy as soon as Soonyoung started chatting away). To Jisoo it was obvious through the looks they sent him that they wanted to ask about his miraculous recovery but he gestured for them to wait until the beginning of their group project class, so instead they focused on other matters.

One of these matters came in the form of a tall student with a wide gummy smile who wandered over during the last few minutes of their break. Jisoo immediately paled at his sight and even Soonyoung quieted down at the tense atmosphere that settled over the table.

"Hi Jisoo, hi guys, I just wanted to confirm the time once more. Five pm at the front gate, right?"

"Y-yes, five pm. S-see you then, Yongguk," the Wielder stuttered with a shaky smile and Yongguk left after sending him a wink. "Oh god. Oh god. Oh goooood, no, I completely forgot! I didn't even wear nice clothes or anything. How does my hair look? Is my shirt too rumpled?"

Jihoon rolled his eyes while Seungcheol grinned at his Wielder's distress but Chan encouragingly patted his shoulder. "You look great, hyung. I'm sure he thinks so too." The last part sounded quite bitter.

"But if you don't feel up for it you should cancel; I'm sure he wouldn't be mad," Jeonghan suggested with an angelic smile.

Jisoo just shook his head and tried to straighten out his clothes as best as he could while Soonyoung looked on with curiosity. "No, no, I promised to go. Oh god, I'm so excited."

The expressions on his Forcebearers' faces made it clear that he was the only one.

 


	21. First date

Jisoo was a nervous wreck. Ever since his first attempt at romance had gone wrong, he had not even once tried to make advances towards anyone and nobody (at least as far as he knew) had shown much romantic interest in him either. Well, except for Jeonghan - but the Warrior was the type of person who enjoyed teasing people he was close with, so that didn't count.  
  
Therefore Yongguk's interest had come out of nowhere and had hit Jisoo as hard as the book that had fallen on his head prior to their first meeting. But except for feeling excited, he also felt rather bad for his Forcebearers. Especially Chan and Jeonghan looked quite bothered on their way to class and he blamed the excitement he unintentionally kept sending through the bonds for their annoyance. That would also explain why Seungcheol seemed the least fazed since their bond wasn't strong enough to transmit emotions yet. Instead the Warrior looked clearly amused by the dark expressions surrounding him and he kept nudging Jihoon until his brother snapped at him.  
  
  
Chan reluctantly left with Soonyoung for his class and the remaining Warriors immediately cornered Jisoo to hear every detail about his sudden recovery.  
  
"So he's also one of the Others. No wonder Kangin keeps him on a tight leash," Jihoon mused, deep in thought.  
  
Jisoo looked tense at his words and fiddled with his shirt. "Please don't let him know that I told you, I promised not to tell anyone but Chan since he doesn't know you're my Forcebearers."  
  
"No worries, we don't interact much with him anyway and Ji is not someone who blabs without thinking first," Seungcheol reassured. "Also everyone still thinks he's our Wielder and it's better for all of us if it stays that way. Keep worrying about your date instead." He couldn't bite back a grin while his brothers pierced him with their glares and Jisoo hid his face behind one of his books.  
  
  
The class proceeded smoothly much to Jisoo's relief. Seokmin behaved just like usual and Jihoon was his regular perfectionist self (including a little meltdown because he wasn't satisfied with the amount of sources they had used for one of their essays) while Kangin still treated Jisoo like dirt.  
  
The only difference was that Jisoo was now able to feel Jihoon's growing anger whenever Kangin would make a derogatory remark, so he secretly began to massage Jihoon's thigh beneath the table whenever the other Wielder opened his mouth. It calmed the Warrior down and distracted Jisoo enough to not care much about whatever nonsense Kangin was spouting but Seokmin, who was generally more observant than his Wielder, watched them with furrowed brows.  
  
  
The end of class neared and Jisoo's nervousness increased tenfold.  
  
Seokmin caught him alone in front of the door of the classroom when he returned from the toilet (where he had desperately tried to get his hair to look at least somewhat decent). His sudden appearance made Jisoo flinch who had been too distracted with date-related thoughts to notice him.  
  
"What's going on with you? First you're all beat up and now you're incredibly jumpy. Is there a problem you want to talk about? Is Jihoon forcing you into something weird? I can help you, you just need to talk to me," the tall Guardian offered, his voice low and worried.  
  
Jisoo stared at him in confusion for a few seconds before it clicked. "Jihoon forcing me? What...? Oh. OH! No, Seokmin, you got it all wrong! Jihoon isn't doing anything to me!" Jisoo blushed at the mental image of doing... stuff with Jihoon and hastily banned the thought. He pulled Seokmin into a corner to make sure nobody would overhear them. "Okay, I promised not to, but since you revealed a secret today, I'll tell you one in return." He looked around once more before he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Jihoon is not a real Wielder, he's my Warrior."  
  
Seokmin stared at him wide eyed. "But that's illegal," he hissed after he had gathered his thoughts, glancing around as well, just in case.  
  
Jisoo smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that's why it's a secret. Keep it for me, please?"  
  
Seokmin still looked sceptical but nodded nonetheless. "So he was angry at Kangin for trash-talking you? And where did your bruises really come from? I still don't believe your 'little accident' story."  
  
"Well, Jihoon's a bit prone to anger," Seokmin grimaced at the understatement, "and the only thing I could think of was to calm him down without Kangin noticing. And yes, I lied, I'm sorry... I got attacked on Saturday and Jihoon saved me, that's how we ended up in a contract."  
  
"Wow. So you got Chan and Jihoon now? That's pretty amazing considering you were such a quiet loner in the beginning," the Guardian said with a wide smile and ruffled Jisoo's hair.  
  
"Nooooo, I just combed it in place!" The Wielder jumped a few steps back and protected his head with his hands.  
  
Seokmin looked at him as if he had suddenly spoken in a foreign language. "Uh... What?"  
  
Jisoo was busy looking for anything he could use as a mirror while patting down his hair once more. "I'm going on a date in a few minutes but I totally forgot and didn't prepare anything so I tried to make at least my hair look decent."  
  
Seokmin eyed his hair with a very judgemental expression before he pulled him back by the wrist. "You're going on a date and you decided that parting your hair in the middle is a good look? No offense but you need some serious help, my friend."  
  
  
Jisoo stood in front of the gate and had no idea what to do with his hands. He had never before noticed how awkward it looked to just let them dangle around but if he crossed his arms or hid his hands in his pockets he might potentially come off as rude or unfriendly and that was something he definitely wanted to avoid. He had just decided to keep them behind his back when Yongguk stepped through the gate and smiled at him as soon as their eyes met. "Jisoo, how are you doing? You look different from earlier, did you change your hairstyle?"  
  
The Wielder bowed stiffly, overly aware of every single part of his body and immediately worried whether his hair looked okay. Seokmin had styled it for him and Jihoon had complimented it when he had returned to class (after scolding him for being gone for over 15 minutes), but 'different' could also mean 'bad' and Jisoo's anxiety rose to sky-high levels. "Y-yes uhm... A friend did it. B-but if it's weird, I can change it b-back."  
  
"No, it suits you well; I really like it." Jisoo felt slightly dizzy at the relief flooding him and he wondered how he was going to survive the evening. Dying of a heart attack while having dinner with his date was a somewhat pathetic death for a 22 year old. "Do you have anything you want to do? If not, I know a nice Chinese restaurant we could visit after browsing the stores for a bit."  
  
"S-sounds good."  
  
  
Walking around with Yongguk next to him was exciting but also slightly weird. Exciting because Jisoo's stomach erupted in nervous butterflies whenever the other touched his arm to get his attention and weird because he couldn't shake off the feeling that everyone was staring at them. At first he thought it was just his imagination, spurred by his jumpiness, but after he actively looked for it, it became glaringly obvious. When hearing his deep voice, the eyes of the pedestrians seemed to get drawn to Yongguk's tall statue and his wide shoulders. They stayed on him in admiration for a few seconds before they wandered to Jisoo to stare at him instead. In response, he glued his eyes to the ground and began to walk one or two steps behind Yongguk to hide behind his back.  
  
The student didn't seem to notice the looks he was receiving and walked slower the more Jisoo tried to stay behind him. "Is there a problem?" he finally asked after pulling Jisoo next to him for the third time (setting Jisoo's face on fire in the process).  
  
"Uhm... The p-people are looking at us a bit weirdly," Jisoo said shyly and Yongguk smiled his wide gummy smile.  
  
"It's because you're handsome, of course they'll stare. Just ignore them if you don't like it." Jisoo looked at him in disbelief but couldn't stop a smile from blooming on his lips. "Let's take a look at the vendors over there. Oh, and there are also street artists in the park, some of them are pretty awesome," Yongguk proposed cheerfully and Jisoo nodded and followed his lead, this time walking right next to his date.  
  
  
The Wielder was happily nibbling on his fishcake while watching a young artist with incredibly red hair juggle everything he could get his hands on when Yongguk decided to make a move and hold his hand. As soon as their fingers touched, anger flooded through five of his bonds and he flinched at the unexpected feeling.  
  
"Are you okay?" Yongguk asked worriedly after seeing his dazed expression while Jisoo tried to figure out what was wrong with his Forcebearers.  
  
"Yes, sorry... Would it be okay if I borrow your phone for a moment? I forgot to ask Chan something."  
  
Yongguk handed it to him with a smile and sat on a bench to wait while Jisoo tried to remember the exact number of his Guardian's phone. After three failed attempts, he had finally typed in the correct one and Chan picked up after the first ring.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It's me, Jisoo. Are you okay, Channie?"  
  
"Why shouldn't I be, hyung?"  
  
"I felt something weird through the bond and I was a bit worried about you guys. Are you with the others?"  
  
"Ah... yes. We were, uhm, playing a game so we got a bit upset. Don't worry. How's your date so far?" Chan showed his disdain in the way he put emphasis on the word 'date'.  
  
"It's nice. We're going to eat something and then I'll head home. Let's watch a movie later?"  
  
"Ooh, what do you wanna watch? Can we make popcorn too?"  
  
Jisoo smiled at his sudden enthusiasm and basked in the warmth the younger's happy voice brought him. "Sure and it's your turn today since I picked the last one. I'll hang up now, give the others a hug from me."  
  
"Ew disgusting, why would I hug them? Have fun, hyung, see you later."  
  
Jisoo was still smiling when he returned the phone to Yongguk and the other raised an eyebrow at his happy face. "Did something good happen?"  
  
"Not really, it just makes me happy to hear his voice." Yongguk looked thoughtful at his answer but Jisoo was too distracted by the street artist, who had begun to showcase little magic tricks, to notice.  
  
  
The Chinese restaurant Yongguk brought him to was a pretty amazing experience. They had to grab little baskets and fill them with raw ingredients after choosing what kind of soup base they wanted. Jisoo opted for spicy soup and added lots of fish and veggies while Yongguk chose a milder one with plenty of meat.  
  
"This is such a cool idea for a restaurant. How did you find this place?" Jisoo asked curiously once they were seated comfortably.  
  
"By accident, actually. Himchan, I and another friend of mine were out pretty late at night and we got into a fight. After getting rid of them, we needed a place to rest so we went into the first restaurant we could find, ever since that time we come here quite often." He said it in a casual tone, as if getting attacked was something he was completely used to.  
  
Jisoo stared at him in disbelief. "Is... Is that a regular thing for you?"  
  
"You mean getting attacked?" Yongguk looked slightly confused now. "Of course. We're quite a big group by now and almost all the Forcebearers are rank three or four, so many people are after our Wielder."  
  
"Wait, your Wielder? You're a Forcebearer?" Jisoo looked flabbergasted while Yongguk grinned in amusement.  
  
"Did you think I was a Wielder?" Jisoo nodded quietly, embarrassed for making assumptions. "Don't worry, a lot of people mistake me for one. Comes with the height," he joked and Jisoo smiled weakly. "I'm a rank four Warrior, gravity control, at your service." He saluted and this time Jisoo's smile was brighter.  
  
He had just opened his mouth to ask questions when they got disrupted by the waiter who was balancing their bowls of soup. They thanked him and he bowed his head without a smile, sharp almond eyes not leaving Jisoo in the process. The Wielder had just begun to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny when the waiter turned around and left for the next table.  
  
"Don't mind him, he's a nice guy but he has a habit of staring at people and I don't think I've ever seen him smile before," Yongguk said before taking a sip of his soup and closing his eyes in bliss.  
  
Jisoo nodded warily and also tried his soup. "Wow, this is great. But is it okay to ask some more about your ability? I'm not that knowledgeable yet since I've only recently started forming contracts."  
  
"Sure, ask away. And you got me; I wouldn't have thought that you're a Wielder either," Yongguk replied with a laugh and Jisoo joined in.  
  
"Yeah, you're not the only one."  
  
  
Yongguk had offered to walk Jisoo home but the Wielder had declined since it was quite far to his apartment. But the Warrior had insisted on at least walking him to the subway station and Jisoo had happily accepted the offer since he enjoyed simply walking and chatting with the other student. They had found out during dinner that they actually had a lot in common, from a love for fantasy movies and novels to a similar taste in music. Jisoo also was much more comfortable now, the nervous energy which had filled him throughout the afternoon had given way to feelings of content and affection. It was very hard not to like someone as friendly as Yongguk.  
  
They stopped in front of the subway station and the Warrior smiled his bright gummy smile. "That was fun. Maybe we can repeat it from time to time?"  
  
Jisoo's smile was not any less bright and he nodded energetically. "Sure, I'd love to. I still need to try all the other soups."  
  
Yongguk laughed and leaned in, causing Jisoo's heart to speed up unhealthily, but the taller student just wrapped his arms around him for a comfortable hug. They remained that way for a few seconds until both of them stiffened at the sound of footsteps approaching at a fast pace.


	22. Incognito

Jeonghan's course of action after class was to hide in a toilet cubicle and write a message in their newly founded group chat.  
  
[16:58] *•°JH°•*: mission is starting, get ready everyone  
[16:59] Dino: in position  
[16:59] Jun: we're coming  
[17:00] Hansol: whos dino  
[17:00] Jihoon: You guys are pathetic.  
[17:00] Cheollie: where do we meet?  
[17:01] Hansol: how do i change my name  
[17:02] Jihoon: Dino is Chan, he watched Jurassic park yesterday. Cheol, why the hell didn't you wait for me if you don't know where to go?  
[17:03] Dino: target in sight  
[17:03] Jun: ok  
[17:04] *•°JH°•*: is byg the target or jisoo?  
[17:04] Cheollie: byg?  
[17:04] Hansol: jonghan how do i change  
[17:05] *•°JH°•*: bang yongguk obviously  
[17:05] Hansol: the name  
[17:06] Jihoon: ffs Hansol.  
[17:06] *•°JH°•*: its j_e_onghan get it right  
[17:06] *•°JH°•*: idk how  
[17:07] *•°JH°•*: its been a year since I used that phone  
[17:07] onlygotafew$$$: nvm got it thx j_e_onghan  
[17:08] Jihoon: Can you all shut up and tell me where to meet exactly?  
[17:08] *•°JH°•*: ...  
[17:08] Dino: main gate  
[17:08] Dino: jisoo is waiting  
[17:09] Cheollie: how can we shut up and tell you at the same time?  
[17:09] Jun: we'll be there in e minutes  
[17:10] Jihoon: Shut it Cheol.  
[17:10] Jun: *3 minutes  
[17:11] Cheollie: we're not even really speaking  
[17:11] Dino: BYG arrived r u coming guys??  
[17:12] Jihoon: I'll hit you.  
[17:12] Jihoon: One minute, Chan.  
[17:12] Dino: hurry  
[17:14] onlygotafew$$$: where u at chan  
[17:14] Dino: bushes  
[17:14] Dino: wrong side  
  
Seungcheol was the last one to stumble through the gate, simultaneously trying to put on his jacket and fumbling with his bag.

"Where the hell were you? You were the first one to leave the class," Jihoon asked, already highly annoyed.

Seungcheol ducked his head and looked appropriately ashamed. "Sorry, I remembered that I had to return a book. Did we already lose them?"

"No, they're still down the road, let's go," Chan said giddily, grabbing Jeonghan's and Jun's hands to pull them along. "But we need to blend in somehow, if Jisoo sees us he'll be upset."

"I'm well prepared," Jeonghan announced and started rummaging in his bag (while not letting go of Chan who was trying to shake him off). With a triumphant smile he pulled out multiple hats, scarves and sunglasses and began to hand them to the others. Jun and Hansol had brought their own face masks and hoodies (which didn't make them look any less suspicious) and Chan happily accepted a cute little beanie from Jeonghan who was already wearing an old-school sun hat and a silk scarf.

Only Jihoon stared at his brother, disbelief written all over his slowly reddening face, when Jeonghan pressed a pair of big diva sunglasses against his chest. "You gotta be freaking kidding me. I'm not going to wear that; I don't even know why I'm here on this stupid-" He immediately stopped himself after taking a glance at Chan's face, which had saddened at his words, and wordlessly put on the glasses.

Seungcheol, adorned with a cap he had pulled deep into his face, grinned and wrapped a big scarf around his brother's head. "Looking good, Jihoonie."

"I'll kill you."

 

"They're walking way too close," Jeonghan grumbled while watching the pair in the distance over the rim of his freshly bought newspaper. "And why is he always touching Jisoo's arm? What a sleazebag."

"Keep your jealousy down or he'll notice," Jun hissed next to him, "and where did you get that fruit, Hansol?"

Hansol, who had just taken a big bite from an apple hastily tried to hide it behind his hands, causing juice to dribble down his chin into his facemask. Jeonghan and Jihoon eyed him with disgust. When he had finally swallowed, he smiled sheepishly (half-hidden by Jun who was trying to wipe his brother's face with a tissue Jihoon had wordlessly handed him). "I picked it from a tree?"

"It's February and we're in the middle of Seoul," Jihoon deadpanned and Hansol shrunk under the eyes of Jun who didn't look the least bit impressed.

"Okay, okay, I nicked it. I can't stop myself when I'm dressed like that, it's like an inner compulsion."

Jeonghan hit him on the head with his folded newspaper and Hansol pouted in return. "Just eat the darn thing and don't let Chan see it. I don't want him to get influenced by you."

That seemed to be the cue for Chan and Seungcheol to return from the spying they had done, both excited and with red cheeks. "We got close enough to actually hear what they were talking about and they didn't notice a thing," Chan said and bounced up and down.

"I feel like a secret agent, maybe we should get some air guns or something." Seungcheol struck a pose he apparently thought of as agent-like and Jihoon snorted at his antics before he pulled Seungcheol's cap down over his eyes.

Hansol's and Chan's faces had immediately lit up at the mention of air guns but Jun shut them down with a dismissive "yeah, great way to get arrested, just what we need".

"So, what were they talking about?" Jeonghan asked, his eyes once again glued to Jisoo's back.

"They're going to take a look at the street artists in the park close by. Very romantic." Seungcheol wiggled his eyebrows and Chan poked his side, making him flinch.

Jeonghan frowned in disdain. "What a lame date, he should at least bring him to the top of Namsan tower and pay for a nice dinner."

"Not everyone is rich, you know?" Jun said thoughtfully. "I think it's not too bad, it suits Jisoo. But I still would've preferred to be his first date. Oh well, there's still his first kiss and his first ti-"

"If you want to live, you better shut up real fucking quick, Junhui," Jihoon growled through clenched teeth and he was far from the only one glaring at the Warrior. Even Seungcheol had raised an eyebrow.

"I hate to say this but Jisoo is _our_ Wielder. Therefore we have to share him," Chan announced after a few seconds of tense silence and the others nodded reluctantly. "Too bad he likes me the most," he finished with a smug grin before he skipped away, ignoring the protests of the Warriors.

 

The Forcebearers had followed Jisoo and Yongguk to the park where they had watched Jisoo buy fishcake for himself and his date (Jeonghan had shaken his head in disbelief). The crowd was bigger than they had anticipated, which on one hand made it easier to remain unseen but on the other hand made it harder to see what was actually going on between Yongguk and Jisoo. That made everyone nervous, especially in times when Jisoo's excitement suddenly rose and nobody knew why.

Jihoon had gotten rid of Jeonghan's sunglasses as soon as the sun had set behind the skyscrapers but it didn't matter much since he was so small that he could barely be seen through the mass of people. "Can't we go deeper into the park and try to watch them from the other direction? I- ow, what the hell! Watch where you're going."

A rather bulky guy turned around to look down at him while Jihoon was massaging his shoulder. "Did you say something, midget?"

Jihoon's face immediately turned red in anger and he took a step closer which only emphasized the height difference. "I said: Watch where you're going. Are you deaf or are you just too dumb to understand me, asshole?"

The other guy stared at him in speechless disbelief before his face turned almost as red as Jihoon's, but Jeonghan used that time to jump in between them while Seungcheol pulled Jihoon back. "Don't mind him, he's a bit stressed. Do I know you? You look so familiar but maybe I'm mixing you up with a celebrity. I think it would be a great idea for you to _turn around and forget that you have ever met us_." The guy stared at Jeonghan before he nodded in a daze and turned around while the Forcebearers used the chance to flee the scene.

Catching their breath, they leaned against a hedge, Jeonghan scolding Jihoon and the rest laughing at them. Everyone stopped and turned around when the biggest wave of excitement so far hit them and their eyes immediately fell on the couple in the distance, Yongguk's hand wrapped around Jisoo's. Even though some hid it better than others, it was very obvious that none of the Forcebearers particularly liked that sight. To their surprise, Jisoo pulled his hand away and seemed to say something to the tall student.

"What is he doing? He walked away from Yongguk," Hansol asked, staring with narrowed eyes.

"Maybe he didn't like him grabbing his hand? I know I wouldn't," Jeonghan said with a grimace and Jun grinned at him.

"Isn't it a bit dangerous for him to walk around in a park like that?" Chan asked worriedly but Seungcheol patted his shoulder.

"Yongguk is close by and we're having an eye on him too."

Everyone flinched when Chan's phone suddenly started ringing. The Guardian pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. "I think it might be hyung since nobody except you guys knows my number." He picked up the phone and the other Forcebearers quieted down to listen. "Yes?"

"It's me, Jisoo. Are you okay, Channie?" Jisoo's voice sounded tinny through the cheap speakers.

Chan sent the others a nervous look and Jeonghan nodded encouragingly. "Why shouldn't I be, hyung?"

"I felt something weird through the bond and I was a bit worried about you guys. Are you with the others?"

Jihoon waved urgently and mouthed the word 'game'. "Ah... yes. We were, uhm, playing a game so we got a bit upset. Don't worry. How's your date so far?" Chan couldn't stop himself from putting too much emphasis on the word 'date'.

"It's nice. We're going to eat something and then I'll head home. Let's watch a movie later?"

Chan's face immediately lit up while the other faces around him fell. "Ooh, what do you wanna watch? Can we make popcorn too?"

"Sure and it's your turn today since I picked the last one. I'll hang up now, give the others a hug from me." They could hear the smile in Jisoo's voice and warmth flooded through their bonds. The Forcebearers shared looks and smiles, the thought of Jisoo hugging them was quite pleasing (even to Jihoon, although he hid it behind a stoic face).

Chan sent them a mocking glare and poked out his tongue, earning himself a playful nudge from Hansol. "Ew disgusting, why would I hug them? Have fun, hyung, see you later." He stored the phone back in his pocket and frowned. "Now I feel kinda bad about following him. He even borrowed a phone and called us during his date because he was worried."

The other Forcebearers looked down as well. "We should probably stop and try to be happy for him," Jun said slowly and everyone nodded.

"Let's go then. Chan, we'll walk you home," Jihoon said, after taking one last look at his laughing Wielder who was talking animatedly to Yongguk.

"I want to watch a movie too. Maybe we can all wait for Jisoo together in his apartment and then go home after the movie?" Hansol proposed and Chan agreed reluctantly.

"But I'll decide which movie we'll watch."

 

The feelings of content and happiness were hard to ignore during their way home. Everyone was rather quiet and there was almost no talking or bickering audible, a rarity in the group.

Jun slung his arm around Hansol's neck and tousled his hair to distract him from his gloomy thoughts but it didn't help much and the younger's face remained sullen. "Who would've thought that you'd ever be in a bad mood because of a date," he teased gently and Hansol wrinkled his nose in response.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Eh, you were never really interested in all the ladies that were trying to get into your pants back then, so I didn't think you'd be so bothered by Jisoo going on an innocent little date." He grinned at Hansol's dark look and tightened his hold on his brother when he tried to escape his arms.

After a few minutes of fruitless struggle, Hansol gave in and let Jun do as he pleased. "Jisoo's different. Also I'm even more surprised. _You_ were always the one who fooled around with said 'ladies'," his tone didn't hide his disdain, "and now you're blushing like a god damn virgin at the thought of kissing someone?" Jun turned red and Hansol smirked at him. "Aw, what? Are you shy now? Maybe-" He stopped and stiffened along with the other Forcebearers. The excitement that had washed over them was even stronger than during the time in the park and everyone tried very hard not to think about what could've caused it.

"Let's... let's just go home," Chan said timidly and everyone started moving once more. They came to a stop for a second time when the sudden feeling of fear penetrated their hearts.

Jihoon spoke first. "What the fuck is going on?"


	23. Bright Lights

Yongguk's reaction was quick and shaped by experience: at the sound of hurried footsteps he immediately turned to face the potential threat while simultaneously shielding the Wielder's body with his own. This move alone was enough to cause Jisoo's heart to speed up in fear and he held his breath while waiting for whatever was going to happen next. The footsteps got louder and around the street corner in front of them slid a young man, running at full speed, his eyes wide in horror. Jisoo felt a painful sting in his chest at the familiarity of the situation - only that this time he wasn't the one fleeing. As soon as the stranger reached the lights of the subway station, the Wielder recognized the flaming red hair. 

"Please help me, please! They forcebonded me!"

The street artist's accent reminded Jisoo of Jun; his stomach clenched and he immediately tried to take a step closer - but Yongguk's hand closed around his arm. "Don't. It could be a trap."

The street artist came to a halt, maybe to catch his breath, maybe to explain himself - but at the sound of footsteps in the distance he cursed and turn to run once again. 

His harrowed expression made Jisoo's stomach clench painfully. "Wait! Yongguk, we can't just leave him like this. Please," he pleaded, eyes directed at the red-haired male in front of them.

"Jisoo, we don't know who's coming and I'm alone."

For a moment, Jisoo looked torn but in the end he nodded. "Then go first please. I'll try to figure something out. At least they can't bond me."

"Wha- Jisoo! You're a Wielder, how are you going to fight Forcebearers?!" The street artist had followed their conversation anxiously and Jisoo sent him a small smile to calm him. "Okay, no time for discussions, I guess," Yongguk sighed and positioned himself in front of Jisoo again while the red-haired male stepped even further back to get out of the bright lights.

Around the corner walked two men, both of them dressed in pristine and expensive-looking suits. The aura of superiority they exuded was nearly palpable. "There you are, Minghao. If you come over here now I won't punish you too badly," the one on the left said, his smile wide and charming. For a split second, Jisoo wondered how he was able to see with his eyes hidden behind his long fringe but he forced himself to focus back on the task at hand.

"Over my dead body," the street artist, Minghao apparently, spat with a glare and moved even further back.

"Oh, lucky you, we can fulfil that wish," the other answered, the sweet smile still on his face. "Don't think that I won't kill you just because you're one of the Others." The guy next to him, whose Mohawk clashed oddly with his classy suit, grinned at the threat and cracked his neck.

Jisoo thought that it was time to interfere but he wasn't all too sure how. The decision was taken from his hands when a beam of bright white light shot in his direction from the nearest street lamp and it was only thanks to Yongguk's fast reflexes that they didn't get severely injured. 

"Woah, what did we do to deserve such a treatment?" the Warrior asked after making sure that Jisoo was still in one piece.

"We can't leave any witnesses, can we?" the overly sweet guy said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Taeyang, finish this."

Yongguk assumed attack stance while Minghao raised his hands. "Stop it, they didn't do anything to you, Daesung."

Daesung's smile did not falter and Jisoo imagined him raising an eyebrow behind his fringe. "Do you really think you're in any position to make demands? It's your own fault that you ended up this way."

Now it was the Wielder's turn to speak up. "T-there is no good reason to forcebond anyone. It's cruel and inhumane."

Daesung remained eerily quiet for a moment before his smile widerned into a grin. Jisoo's courage shrunk at the sight. "It's what happens when you can't repay your debts. And who would've thought that we'd make such a good deal with it. Let's get this over with, I have a meeting to attend."

Taeyang waved his hands and once again beams of pure, hot light zoomed towards them, forcing Jisoo and Yongguk to jump backwards. The Warrior ground his teeth and it was the first time for Jisoo to see him angry. It made him look different and the laid-back friendly atmosphere which he usually exuded had given room to a dangerous and dark feeling. "Enough," he growled while clenching his fists and now it was Taeyang whose eyes widened while he fell to his knees, unable to keep standing upright at the force that pulled him towards the ground. With visible difficulty, he once again sent light beams and Yongguk's concentration broke when one of them grazed his arm, scorching his jacket and the skin beneath it.

Jisoo carefully moved back towards Minghao while keeping an eye on the battling Warriors. He held his breath when Yongguk closely dodged an attack and made Taeyang scream in pain in retaliation before he talked to Minghao out of the corner of his mouth, in an attempt not to make it too obvious so Daesung wouldn't get suspicious. "Do you have a phone?"

Minghao glanced at him and nodded, quickly looking back towards the fight while discreetly shuffling closer. When he got into arm's reach, he shoved the phone into the Wielder's pocket in one quick movement while still staring straight. Jisoo moved back a bit further to get out of the lights of the subway station before he turned away from the fight to call Chan. 

The younger picked up at the first ring. "Hyung is that you? What's going on, where are yo-"

"Channie, I'm at Miasageori-Station, bring the others. Hurry."

"Miasageori, got it. We'll be there in five minutes."

He had just hid the phone in his pocket again when Yongguk crumbled to the dirty ground, holding his bleeding side. Taeyang was on the ground too, seemingly bound by gravity, but the tall student was visibly exhausted and too drained to do anything more but keep him there. Jisoo hurried back to Yongguk's side, kneeling next to the Warrior to check his injuries, while Daesung stepped next to his own Warrior. He was still smiling and it sent shivers down Jisoo's spine. "Looks like a stalemate for now. But while your Warrior is exhausted and injured, mine is perfectly fine. And he doesn't need to be able to move his body to hurt you." At his words, light seemed to gather around the bound Warrior and Jisoo swallowed before he determinedly moved in front of Yongguk. Daesung's smile widened at that sight. "It's great that you're offering your own life to save your Warrior, that makes it much easier to bond him afterwards."

Yongguk groaned in pain while trying to pull the Wielder back by grabbing his leg but Jisoo shook him off and remained in front of him, his eyes not leaving Taeyang and his lights. "Jisoo get back, stop playing hero," Yongguk pleaded quietly, fear clearly lacing his deep voice but the Wielder once again ignored him.

He knew that his Forcebearers were coming, he could feel them getting closer, but it was questionable whether they'd be fast enough to prevent any potential damage. Taeyang seemed to charge for a devastating attack and he had nothing to prevent it. The lights around the Warrior had gotten brighter while the lamps closest to them had dimmed down. Everything was shrouded in shadows and the night seemed to have gotten darker. It was frightening how powerful Taeyang was, even though he was rank four, the same as Yongguk. Minghao was still there, fidgeting and nervous, but due to the fading lights he was barely visible. Taeyang grunted when the force pressing down on him got stronger once again and an audible crack cut through the cold air. The Warrior's face paled considerably and the lights around him dimmed slightly but he still kept his concentration, even through the pain of a crushed bone.

Yongguk was panting in exhaustion by now, blood still dripping from his cut up and burnt waist and Jisoo worried about his health - but Taeyang seemed to have finished gathering light which definitely was the more pressing matter at that moment. The light-user had formed a glowing hot sphere the size of a basketball and it looked as beautiful as it looked menacing. Jisoo stared at it in transfixed fascination, his heart beating erratically both in fear and wonder.

It happened so quickly, not even Yongguk had time to move. One moment the orb was hanging in the air, motionless and like a small sun, the next it was flying towards them with unexpected speed. Jisoo closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable to happen when a sudden explosion rocked the street and his body got flung back by the force of it.

 

After he had gathered his senses, he found Yongguk and Minghao next to him, both staring at a very much less amused Daesung whose once flawless suit was now cut up and singed. "What the fuck are you doing? How dare you attack me?!"

"I didn't attack you; I interfered with Taeyang's attack. If I was allowed to attack you or your Bonded, you'd both be dead already," Minghao snarled, his bared teeth glimmering in the slowly returning lights. Taeyang got up, freed from Yongguk's ability, but he also seemed exhausted now. His limbs were shaking and he was cradling his broken arm. Daesung ignored him and continued his argument with Minghao.

"What happened?" Jisoo asked Yongguk while watching them warily.

"The redhead flung a car in between us and the oncoming attack. I guess he uses telekinesis since the Wielder said he's one of the Others. Are you okay? You took the brunt of the explosion for me."

"I'm okay, just a few scratches. Lucky me, I guess." Jisoo smiled and Yongguk frowned at him, poking his side.

"Don't do that again, that was dangerous."

Now it was Jisoo's turn to knit his eyebrows together. "Why are you allowed to do dangerous stuff and I'm not?"

"Because you're a Wiel-" Yongguk was interrupted by the sound of a loud slap echoing through the night and Minghao stumbled back, holding his reddening cheek. He still glared defiantly at the Wielder in front of him but this time he didn't dare to speak up. Daesung sneered in satisfaction.

"Since we solved that issue, it's time to go home. Taeyang, hurry up."

Taeyang, still exhausted and holding his arm, paled even further at the order but nodded nonetheless with visible difficulty. But before he could even start to do anything, two people stepped out of the darkness behind the subway station.

"What's going on here?" Jeonghan asked, eyes fixed on Daesung who immediately forced a rather convincing smile on his face.

"Oh, just a minor conflict between me and my Bonded, nothing to worry about."

"Sure, that's why there's wreckage all over the place," Jihoon said sarcastically and Daesung's smile vanished as quickly as it had come.

"If you're not trying to get in trouble, I recommend you keep walking," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Was that a threat?" Jeonghan asked, his face darkening.

"Just a fair warning."

Jisoo's Bonded had stepped in front of their Wielder who was trying to look for the rest of them without arousing suspicion.

"You can stick your 'fair warning' right up your ass," Jihoon drawled and Daesung growled in anger. Taeyang moved in front of his Wielder, readying himself for the next fight but Jeonghan stepped forward and caught his attention. The light-user stiffened when their eyes met and stumbled back, avoiding his gaze.

"What the hell are you doing?" Daesung snarled from behind.

"He tried to use his ability, don't look at him."

Jisoo chewed anxiously on his lip while Jeonghan and Jihoon shared a short glance.

"Thought you could trick us, huh? Get rid of them now." 

Taeyang nodded once again and his ability made the lights around them flicker, rays bundling and zooming in their direction. The two Warriors dogded and a piece of metal once again protected Jisoo and Yongguk from getting hit.

"Damn it, Minghao!" Daesung raged and the red-haired Warrior sent him a winning smile.

Taeyang began gathering light again, his face scrunched up in pain and concentration. "We need to stop him but I'm out of energy," Yongguk groaned. Jihoon nodded and began to sprint towards the light-user - but before he even had gotten close to the other, the Warrior had finished preparing his attack.

Jisoo felt a terrible sense of déjà vu wash over him. "Jihoon, MOVE!"

Even though the small Warrior tried to change direction mid-run, the attack would have undoubtedly hit him full force - would have, if Taeyang hadn't fired it at a nearby tree instead which immediately burst into smoke and splinters. Curling into himself, he began to scream, fingers clawing at his temples.

Daesung stared at his Bonded, his mouth wide open in shock. But before he could say anything, Jihoon had reached him and his hands wrapped around Daesung's bare throat. The Wielder passed out almost simultaneously with his Warrior after a long minute of writhing and screaming, and the silence that followed seemed to press against their eardrums.

"What the hell just happened?" Yongguk asked hoarsely, fascination mixing with fear on his face.

"Jihoon uses pain. But what happened to Taeyang?" Jisoo asked, his hands still shaking from how hard he had pressed them against his ears.

"Seungcheol got into his head," Jeonghan said and kneeled next to them. "Are you okay Jisoo?"

Hurried steps caused them to look up and Chan came running through the dark, closely followed by Jun and Hansol, who were supporting a swaying Seungcheol. "Hyung! Oh thank god you're okay! They didn't allow me to fight because I'm a Guardian, can you believe it?! You're all assholes!"

Jisoo looked at him in disdain but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Don't use that kind of language, it's not nice. And yes, I'm okay but I'm so glad you guys are here now. We need to get an ambulance for Yongguk. You didn't kill them, did you?"

"No, they're just knocked out, don't worry. Glad you're okay," Seungcheol said tiredly and slumped to the floor next to his Wielder who offered him his shoulder to lean against.

Hansol whistled through his teeth, eyeing the passed out thugs. "Damn, those are some important people you got in trouble with."

"We wanted to help too, but they'd have recognized us immediately." Jun looked guilty but Jisoo only smiled at him.

"Don't worry, but we should-"

"Um... Excuse me." The Wielder got disrupted by Minghao's accented voice. "Would it be possible to break my contract while he's still unconscious? You're a Wielder, no?"


	24. Untied

Jisoo couldn't decide what to do first. To choose between taking care of Yongguk's wounds, severing Minghao's bond, and putting distance between them and the unconscious gang members was so difficult that he felt like his brain had completely ceased to function.

He sat motionlessly between Yongguk and Minghao, surrounded by his Forcebearers and felt the panic rising steadily inside of him until Seungcheol finally took action, still leaning against his Wielder, his face tired but his voice sharp. "Yongguk, do you think you need to go to the hospital? Or can you call someone to take care of you?"

Yongguk straightened up slightly and frowned while palpating his side. "The bleeding has gotten less so I think it's enough to call my Wielder. I try to avoid hospitals if possible."

"Alright, do you have your phone? Or should we get you a taxi?"

The injured Warrior shook his head with a little smile at Seungcheol's stern tone. "I'll text him, no need for a taxi. But let's at least get out of here before those guys wake up again."

"Hyung, can you get up? I can support you if you need me to," Chan asked but Jisoo only shook his head and climbed to his feet while Jeonghan and Minghao helped Yongguk.

After Jihoon had decided in which direction they would go, Chan caught up to his Wielder and touched his arm, not getting any reaction in return. "What's wrong? Are you upset?"

Jisoo, shaken out of his deep thoughts, noticed the younger's troubled face and finally broke his silence. "Yongguk got injured because I asked him to help. And Jihoon almost got killed because of me, for the second time. Also it seems like we're in even more trouble with this terrible gang now - and I don't know how to properly sever bonds, what if I hurt Minghao?" he whispered, his heart squeezing painfully at the thought.

He jumped in surprise when Jihoon's palm struck his back, not having noticed the small Warrior behind him. "Seriously, stop worrying. You can't change the past, that's just how it is; it doesn't matter how much you think about it. I don't regret being your Warrior and I'm sure Yongguk doesn't regret helping you out either. Also Minghao would probably much rather get accidentally hurt than stay in a contract with those assholes," he said gruffly, his hand still comfortingly warm on Jisoo's shoulder, nimble fingers rubbing small circles into the tense muscles.

The Wielder sighed and then ruffled Jihoon's hair, smiling at his Warrior's grumpy face. "Thanks, Jihoon. I'll try to think less about the past and more about the future."

"I'm not sure if that's much better, dear," Jeonghan happily interrupted by squeezing in between them, "you'll just worry more. And there's a Warrior who wants to get rid of his bond, so if you two lovebirds could stop flirting..." He ended with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows which brought him Jihoon's wrath in the form of a sneaker to his shin.

Jisoo flushed and hastily jogged over to Minghao who was leaning against a wall next to Seungcheol and Yongguk, both seated on the pavement of the street they had deemed their designated hiding spot for now. "Did you contact your Wielder?" he asked Yongguk who answered him with his usual gummy smile.

"He'll be here in a few minutes. Don't beat yourself up about this situation, attacks can happen to everyone and I'm not blaming you for anything."

Jisoo's smile faltered slightly but he nodded nonetheless before turning towards the waiting redhead. "Um... Honestly, it's my first time doing this, so if anything feels weird please tell me, I really don't want to hurt you."

Minghao examined him for a few seconds before he grinned, seemingly happy with what he had found. "Sure. Just get me out of this darn contract, I feel like it's suffocating me. And your friends are right, don't worry too much about it. You're a Wielder so everything will come to you naturally."

Jisoo only sent him a doubtful look before they sat down across from each other, legs crossed and knees almost touching - not unlike how Jisoo and Jun had sat when he was redoing their bond - while the rest of the Forcebearers watched them quietly.

The Wielder took Minghao's hands in his and he immediately felt the foreign bond coiling around the other's fingers. An unpleasant stinging sensation caused him to scrunch up his face, the unfamiliar contract defending itself against the potential threat. But Jisoo could also feel that it was weakened due to the unconsciousness of the Wielder who had formed it, the whole bond fragile as if made out of glass. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain that slowly started to creep up his arms, a small voice in the back of his mind worrying whether Minghao felt it as well - but the other had given no indication of discomfort so far.

With his eyes closed, the painful sensation became even more intense, but in exchange he was able to fully trace the contract back to Minghao's body. Unlike his own bonds, this one didn't seem to be linked to the mind of the Forcebearer, instead it wrapped around the Warrior like chains, restricting him and forcing him to stay close to his Wielder. It was the first time Jisoo had traced a forcebond and the brutality with which it was locked in place disturbed and saddened him, his heart heavy at the thought of how many Forcebearers had to endure similar bonds throughout their lifetime.

Even though Jisoo had never learned how to undo a foreign contract, his mind seemed to know what to do. It reached out and tried to find the place where the contract was connected to Minghao, just like it had done with Jun – but while Jun's bond had been a single, rather strong thread knotted to his mind, Minghao's bond consisted of multiple threads, knotted into themselves like a net.

Jisoo carefully but quickly began to work on the first knot, acutely aware that Daesung might wake up at any moment. It loosened painfully slowly but he didn't dare to tuck harder in fear of hurting Minghao. Finally the knot untied and even with his eyes closed, he could feel the other relax, the grip on his hands a little less tense.

"Everything okay?" he asked while simultaneously searching for the next knot.

"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it," Minghao answered, bringing a relieved smile to Jisoo's face.

After the fourth knot, sweat was dripping down his chin, both from the mental strain as well as the physical pain he was still enduring which had spread towards his chest by now - but he was determined to free the Warrior, even more so now that he had seen what a forcebond looked like.

The fifth knot was the last one and the bond had already considerably loosened around Minghao's body when a sudden strong wave of pain hit Jisoo. It took everything in him to not let go of Minghao's hands but he couldn't stop a whimper from escaping. His chest constricted and breathing suddenly seemed like an impossible task, the distressed voices of his Forcebearers sounding far away. He couldn't make out their words but he still stubbornly held onto Minghao, the only thing that grounded him in reality. With burning determination, he began to work on the last knot.

  
-

  
"He needs to stop, he's gonna kill himself!" Jeonghan was pulling on Jisoo's arm but it was impossible to get him to let go even when Chan tried to help the Warrior.

"Why can't we move him? And why is Minghao not freaking doing anything?" the younger asked, tears already streaming down his cheeks.

"They're interlocked; I don't think they can hear us. Daesung must've woken up," Yongguk said darkly, eyeing the pair in front of him. Minghao looked like he was sleeping, his chin resting on his chest and his expression peaceful, but Jisoo was hunched over, his breath coming over his lips in short gasps and all his veins bulging. He looked like he was suffocating and all the Forcebearers desperately wanted nothing more than to help him.

"Should I try to reach out for Daesung again? Maybe I can knock him out once more?" Seungcheol offered but Jihoon only shook his head, a grim expression painting his features.

"Don't bother. We're too far away and even if we were closer you're already too exhausted."

"What's gonna happen to him then?" Hansol asked fearfully, his eyes already shimmering with unshed tears. Jun wrapped an arm around his brother to console him and to hide his own shaking hands.

"Minghao's bond is attacking him with full force right now since Daesung's not unconscious anymore. I think he needs to pull back and leave the bond alone or he might get seriously hurt. My Wielder might be able to tell you more, he should be here any minute now." Yongguk once again checked his phone, sighing when it displayed no new messages.

"W-what happens if he keeps doing whatever he's doing now?" Jun asked but only silence answered him and he pulled his brother even closer at the obvious answer. Jihoon cursed loudly and tried once again to separate Jisoo's hands from Minghao's with the help of Jeonghan but to no avail. Seungcheol anxiously chewed on his nails while watching the drama unfold until Chan abruptly sat down next to him and buried his face in the Warrior's shoulder, not able to look on any longer.

  
-

  
Jisoo was still fighting with the last knot, the pain relentlessly wrecking through his body and stealing his breath. Every time he touched the bond, a new wave of agony shot through him as if it was fighting back with everything it got. It also seemed stronger than before, slowly tightening and destroying the progress he had made so far.

The thought of giving up crossed his mind, of returning to his own body to escape the pain - but he banned it as soon as it had come. He wasn't selfish enough to leave Minghao to suffer alone, therefore he stubbornly kept tugging on the bond to get rid of the forced contract, this time using as much strength as he could muster, the thought of hurting Minghao overshadowed by the fear of leaving him bound to someone as ruthless as Daesung.

And finally, after what felt like millennia, the knot loosened once again. Jisoo forced himself not to cry in relief, instead he mustered his last strength to pull, harder than he had ever pulled before, and this time he could hear his own painfilled voice mixing with Minghao's scream when the bond finally disintegrated and released the Warrior from his forced contract.

  
  
Suddenly, there was nothing. The bond was gone as well as the pain, not even Minghao's hands were there to guide him back into his own body. Exhausted he floated in a bright void that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions.

His thoughts wandered towards his Forcebearers and how much they meant to him. He _loved_ them, he realized with a start. They hadn't known each other for long but he would give his life for every single one of them without hesitation and he knew they would do the same for him - their mutual bonds and shared emotions were an indication of their deep trust into each other. They would be upset if he wouldn't return soon and he couldn't bear to see them sad.

Just when he had fully grasped the thought, a tingling sensation filled him, warming him from the inside and spreading quickly. Suddenly there was a heartbeat he could follow through the void, fast and strong like a drum. It pulled him irresistibly into a place that felt all too familiar and before he fully realized it, he was back in his own body, feeling much heavier than before but also much more secure.

But the tingling sensation stayed, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin and his breath to catch in his throat. The distinctive smell of fire and something sweet he couldn't quite pinpoint invaded his senses, a mixture that seemed odd at first but blended surprisingly well together. His befuddled mind focused on the warmth on his face, skin on skin, and the feeling of soft lips which pressed gently against his own, moving lightly in a foreign rhythm that made his heart beat even faster - much more intense than he had ever imagined a kiss to be.

 


	25. Allies

"You little fucker, that was his first kiss!"

The warmth on Jisoo's lips vanished quickly when the other pulled back, leaving him with the cool night breeze and craving for more.

"I only did what he said! Why are you so angry?!"

The Wielder felt as if he had gotten run over by a truck. His whole body was aching, especially his arms and his chest.

"He told you to touch him, not kiss him, you pervert!"

He wanted to open his eyes - or at least tell his Bonded to keep their voices down - but he was so very tired.

"But that's the safest way to reconnect him, no? The emotions help more than just a random touch."

The hard asphalt felt uncomfortable against his skin and he could feel coldness seeping through his clothes.

"Still! I wanted to be the one who- ow, Jihoon! Why are you always so violent?"

Through the arguing, he heard movement next to him and warm fingers pressed against his throat, measuring his pulse.

"I think he's awake, just too tired to get up," an unfamiliar voice interrupted. The shouting quieted down at once and multiple pairs of feet stepped closer.

"Jisoo?"

"Can you hear me, cutie?"

"Hyung? Are you okay?"

Everything inside of him resisted at the thought of having to move his heavy body - but his will won and he groggily nodded and tried to open his eyes with a groan. The first person he could make out through his blurry vision was a complete stranger, but behind the male he recognized the distressed faces of his Forcebearers.

"Welcome back," the stranger said with a smile. "Nice to meet you and thanks for taking care of my Warrior."

The only thing Jisoo could muster was a weak and confused "huh?" in response. Jeonghan helped him sit up, all while anxiously checking him for potential injuries, and the unfamiliar male moved back a few feet to give the Forcebearers enough space to crowd around their Wielder, Chan and Hansol immediately kneeling down next to him.

"Sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Jung Daehyun, Yongguk's Wielder. And judging by his expression you already know Himchan." Jisoo looked over to where he assumed Yongguk to be and was greeted by his relieved gummy smile and Himchan's catlike grin. Next to the two Warriors stood three more people he had never seen before, one of them even taller than Yongguk.

"It's good to have you back, Jisoo. We were worried," Yongguk said warmly and the Wielder smiled while Jeonghan wrapped his arms around him possessively and pulled him back into his chest. Jisoo gratefully leaned against his Bonded, too tired to keep sitting upright by himself. "This is the rest of my group, we're all in contracts with Daehyun."

The tallest one waved happily, his youthful face a bit too cheerful given the bleakness of the street. "Hi, I'm Zelo and those guys here are Jongup and Youngjae. Nice to meet you! So, are you and Yongguk-hyung a couple?"

Yongguk seemed dumbfounded at the bold question while the rest of his group started snickering. A flush crept over Jisoo's face and Jeonghan's arms tightened around him once more - but to his surprise it was Seungcheol who answered curtly. "Of course not, they only went out for a date."

Zelo looked quite disappointed and eyed Yongguk with a frown, who rolled his eyes at him. "Aw, but I thought tha-"

"Can we stop talking about useless shit and focus on the actual problem?" Jihoon interrupted rudely, causing Zelo to stare in fascination and Jongup to flinch at his harsh tone. "We got into trouble with a gang - again - and our Wielder almost died trying to sever a contract with them. I don't give a flying fuck about dates right now."

"What exactly happened?" Jisoo finally had mustered enough strength to speak. His cheek was still pressed against Jeonghan's chest who was lovingly running his fingers through Jisoo's hair while the other Bonded looked on, concern etched into their faces. "Is it supposed to hurt that much?"

Daehyun shook his head, his expression serious this time. "You severed the contract while the original Wielder was fully conscious; that was incredibly dangerous. Normally, attempting this causes heavy injuries or might even kill the Wielder but I guess since you got rid of most of the bond before he woke up, the contract was already too weak to resist fully. But still, the strain ripped your mind out of your body and you couldn't find your way back by yourself, so I asked the Forcebearers to guide you since touch usually helps."

Jisoo immediately turned red at the thought of what exactly had happened to bring him back. "Uhm... W-who... you know... who, uhm... g-guided me back?"

"I did," Minghao said casually from outside the circle of bonded Forcebearers, his face betraying no emotions while the others shot daggers at him. Jisoo wasn't all too sure how to feel about the fact that he had lost his first kiss to a near stranger - but remembering how gentle Minghao had been and how good it had felt, he came to the conclusion that it wasn't all that bad.

His thoughts got interrupted by Daehyun's voice who looked apologetic. "I thought using him would be the best way to go since you got lost while tracing him. I didn't expect him to get so... invested. But I'm glad it worked anyway."

Jisoo couldn't hide his smile at the disapproving looks of his Forcebearers who immediately started arguing once again and his heart sped up slightly when Minghao kept sending him short glances while defending himself, cheeks dusted pink. It was Yongguk who finally stopped the fight and made them return to the actual topic.

"That was Daesung," Jun leaned comfortably against his brother, Jisoo's head on his lap, who was resting on a blanket Himchan had miraculously procured after patching up Yongguk, "one of the three heads of the Organisation and bad news for all of us. Our former Wielder was second in command but since he got shot, he's out of the picture. The one at the top is called G-Dragon and I'd very much prefer to never meet him in person."

Everyone watched him with tense expressions while Hansol ran his fingers over Jisoo's arm, lost in thought. "Met him once by accident," he said after a moment of silence. "He's not that impressive actually, only a few years older than us and kinda smallish, but he has a lot of charisma going on and his Forcebearers are no joke from what I've heard. The two strongest are always by his side."

"People say they're rank five but nobody knows exactly what their abilities are," Jun affirmed. "Let's just hope that we won't ever find out."

Chan tightened his grip on Jisoo's hand, his forehead furrowed in worry. "Do you think Daesung will try to get revenge or something?"

Hansol simply shrugged. "Maybe." He peered over to Minghao who sat in between the two groups of bonded Forcebeares. "Why would you be dumb enough to get into a contract with a gang leader anyway, redhead?"

Minghao glared at him and crossed his arms. "It's not like I wanted it to happen. I couldn't pay back my debt on time so he forcebonded me."

"We're not judging you," Jisoo said gently and the Warrior relaxed a little. "But what are you going to do now?"

"We should ask ourselves the same question," Seungcheol interjected before Minghao could answer.

Daehyun, who had watched the exchange, took the word. "Well, since it's not only you but also one of my Warriors who's affected by the situation, I wouldn't mind working together. I'd prefer to not get involved with a gang but if they come for you or one of us, we should have each other's backs. From what I've heard and seen so far, you seem to have quite a few high ranking Forcebearers, Jisoo, if that gets out you'll be in real trouble."

Jisoo nodded solemnly and looked over to Minghao, who shrugged in response. "You saved my life and got in trouble for it. If I can help you in any way, I will. But I guess I'll have to lie low for a few weeks, focus on my actual job and not play hobby-magician. Uhm... there is one thing though." He hesitated and Jisoo smiled at him encouragingly while his Bonded eyed the Warrior with distrust. "I don't wanna get forcebonded ever again; could you form a contract with me? I promise I'll stay away from you lot," Minghao blurted, his cheeks burning almost as red as his hair. His words got the expected response from the Forcebearers while the other group looked on in amusement.

Daehyun watched while Jisoo tried to calm his Forcebearers down who had formed a protective circle around him and were throwing either profanities or threats at the redhead. "I think you might need to give up on your crush, Yongguk. They'll eat you alive," he said with a small smile.

Yongguk sighed and watched Jisoo tiredly stagger in front of Minghao to protect him from the onslaught, reprimanding his Forcebearers for their use of language which only irked them further ("Hyung! Why are you protecting him?! That pervert molested you!"). "I didn't think their bonds would be this strong. Until today I didn't even know they were in a contract, I thought they were just friends. Well, except for Chan. That guy was pretty protective whenever I met him."

Himchan grinned while Jisoo struggled against an overbearing hug from Jun ("I'm not going to share you with any more people than we already are!"), Hansol pulling at his brother's arms. "Looks like they're much more than friends. It's amazing that they even let you go on a date with him in the first place."

Yongguk smiled and watched Jisoo finally take control of the situation, scolding his Bonded for being rude and possessive - all of them looking like kicked puppies in the process - before he finally turned to Minghao and accepted his proposal. "I'm pretty sure he decided that by himself; he's a lot stronger than he looks. That's what I like about him."

 

Forming a contract with Minghao was even easier than the ones he had formed before. The bond seemed to already wait for Jisoo, calling out to him so he could connect their minds and souls. And he did: as soon as their blood touched, he felt the contract lock into place and a flood of emotions that weren't his own washed over him. Even though he had only known Minghao for a few hours, his bond was already stronger than the one he shared with Seungcheol. Separating afterwards was hard for both of them.

After they had said their goodbyes and exchanged numbers, Minghao and the other group of Forcebearers left towards their respective homes, Yongguk thanking Jisoo for the date before climbing into Daehyun's car with some help from Zelo.

 

This night, Jisoo slept wrapped in blankets on the soft carpet in the living room of Jeonghan's apartment, surrounded by his Forcebearers - each of them touching at least a small part of his body with their own.


	26. Ice cream

The weeks flew by and before Jisoo could really comprehend it, he had already spent over a month with all his Forcebearers. Although he had to play mediator almost daily, he could not have been happier about life as it was.

He still lived with Chan in his little flat - decidedly ignoring Jeonghan's nagging about moving in with him - which housed at least two visitors every day. Jun and Hansol had tacitly become permanent tenants in one of Jeonghan's guestrooms and worked hard to not destroy any more property (after a stern talking to from Jisoo). Minghao still lived in his own flat but visited from time to time to get to know his Wielder (always accompanied by at least one other Bonded to 'prevent him from overstepping his boundaries', as Chan had put it so nicely). He also had become rather close with Jun who he spoke to exclusively in Chinese - much to Hansol's annoyance who had 'borrowed' a Chinese-for-dummies book after a few days of futile complaints.

The group project had ended with a good grade (Jihoon wasn't satisfied), but Jisoo still kept close contact to Seokmin, who had turned out to be a great listener and especially good at relaxing the Wielder after a stressful day full of squabbling Forcebearers. Therefore they tried to meet up whenever Kangin was occupied with his family's business, one of the rare moments of freedom he granted his Guardian - although only because he didn't acknowledge Jisoo as a potential threat.

Apart from Seokmin, Soonyoung had also become a constant in Jisoo's everyday university life and consequently in the lives of Chan, Jihoon, Seungcheol and Jeonghan as well. But while Jisoo enjoyed his random bursts of energy and bright mood, the others weren't as happy about it. Especially Jihoon had a hard time not exploding into Soonyoung's face whenever he opened his mouth for another round of happy prattling, and neither Chan nor Jeonghan were thrilled about Soonyoung's obvious attempts of befriending the youngest of the group each time they had a class together.

Jisoo also kept contact with Yongguk, Daehyun and - to everyone's surprise - Zelo. The lively maknae (who was only a few months older than Chan but very much enjoyed rubbing it in his face whenever they met) had secured his spot in Jisoo's heart when he had introduced his puppy during a dinner the groups had shared. Jisoo couldn't hide the fact that he was a total dog person and Zelo couldn't hide his excitement about it, which had led to exchanged numbers and a multitude of shared puppy pictures. It only took Zelo three days to allow Jisoo to call him by his real name, Junhong – a feat that evoked the displeasure of Himchan, who had taken over a year to finally get the younger's permission.

  
The Organisation had remained quiet so far. In the first two weeks, everyone had tried to stay inside as much as possible, keeping an eye out for potential danger and a close watch on Jisoo, who wasn't even allowed to go to the toilet alone at university.

Yugyeom had almost gotten himself knocked out by the Forcebearers when Jisoo had screamed in surprise after getting attacked with an unannounced back-hug. In the end it had been Jisoo who had comforted the young Warrior after he had received very throughout scoldings from Jihoon, Jeonghan and Jackson.

The Wielder also was the only one not worrying as much about the gang that was presumably after them, since he had gotten a letter from the Clairvoyance-Guardian who had promised to call if something were to happen. While Jisoo trusted his capability, the others were much less trusting in someone they didn't know in person, therefore they didn't let their guard down in the slightest. But after the third week of constant vigilance (and building annoyance from their Wielder, who was tired of having his Bonded monitor every step he took), they eased up a little.

 

On a glorious Thursday afternoon with blossoming flowers and a gentle spring breeze, Jisoo's last class got cancelled, which gave him and Seungcheol the rare opportunity to enjoy the sunshine while Jihoon and Jeonghan grudgingly had to stay in the library for another project. Initially, Seokmin had wanted to tag along as well but Kangin didn't seem to like spring as much as the rest of the group, therefore Jisoo had promised the Guardian to go for a walk with him the next time they met up, which seemed to cheer him up a little.

Before Seungcheol and he left the building, they visited their lockers to get rid of their heavy bags. Jisoo was looking forward to finding letters by now; he had even started answering them by writing on another sheet and carefully placing it in the same spot in his locker. The anonymous Guardian seemed to be a nice person, most of their conversations were about mundane everyday stuff with little snippets of "it'll rain tomorrow evening; don't forget your umbrella" and "I can't believe they're going to lose again; I don't even want to watch the match any more" (Jisoo wasn't a big fan of sports so he didn't mind knowing the results beforehand; he carefully kept it from Hansol and Seungcheol though, who both watched soccer with the intensity of religious fanatics).

Therefore he was surprised that this time there was no letter waiting for him. Confused, he even searched behind his books - just in case the paper had slipped there by accident - but he found nothing. It wasn't all that unusual for the Guardian not to write daily, but usually he gave notice beforehand that he'd be gone and Jisoo felt a slight sense of unease crawling up his spine. He tried to shake it off when Seungcheol's warm hand came in contact with his shoulder. "Are you okay, Soo? You're a bit agitated."

"It's okay; I'm just worrying over nothing again." Jisoo shook his head and tried to think happy thoughts while Seungcheol's dark eyes searched his face.

Not only the Wielder but also his Forcebearers had learned over time that sharing a strong emotional connection meant having basically no privacy. Since even the weaker emotions got transmitted by now, they had learned to read each other well - but while the Forcebearers could only feel their Wielder, Jisoo had to sort through the feelings of seven different people and his own, which was headache inducing. To allow their Wielder at least some sort of peace, they had more or less successfully begun to develop different mechanisms of blocking their connection. While Seungcheol and Jun were able to completely cut off their emotions from Jisoo, hotheaded Hansol and overemotional Jeonghan had much more trouble to keep their bonds in check. But after a few days of rigorous training, all of them were able to block at least the weaker, less important feelings and it helped the Wielder quite a lot. Jisoo himself was the only one letting his emotions flow freely since he didn't feel the need to hide anything from his Bonded, and everyone agreed that they wanted to feel him during their everyday lives. But this sentiment got tested every time Jisoo worried about something trivial and suddenly got bombarded with calls and messages, therefore he tried to think as positively as possible - although most of the time he couldn't fool the more observant Forcebearers. Especially Seokmin had the scary ability to see through him even without a bond connecting them.

Seungcheol was still scrutinizing him but he let it go after a few seconds of silence and simply nodded instead. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Uhm... Maybe the nearby park? If you're okay with walking a bit."

Seungcheol smiled and ruffled his Wielder's hair; a habit he had picked up not too long ago and no protests from Jisoo had stopped him from doing it. "Sure, let's go. I'll treat you to ice cream. It's a date."

Jisoo only laughed at his weird sense of humour while patting down his hair.

 

When Jisoo and Seungcheol arrived at the park, they quickly found out that they weren't the only visitors who had thought that getting ice cream would be a great idea in the warm weather - the queue inside the little shop was long enough to reach the door. Jisoo tried not to feel disappointed when he proposed to eat ice cream another (less crowded) time, but Seungcheol noticed - of course - and consequently they waited almost fifteen minutes until it was their turn. Neither of them minded much though; they had too much fun joking around and chatting about this and that.

Enjoying the sunshine and their sweet treat - Seungcheol had indeed treated his Wielder, earning himself a wide, happy smile - they slowly walked around the lake and tried not to get run over by cyclists or playing children.

"Soo?"

"Mhm?"

"Whose bond is the strongest at the moment?"

Jisoo stopped licking his ice cream to take a closer look at Seungcheol, who was looking at the lake with a straight face. Checking the Warrior's emotions also brought no results since he had closed off their connection. "Chan's and Hansol's are pretty even. Why are you asking?"

Seungcheol stopped staring at the reflections on the water and turned towards his Wielder, searching his eyes. "Is mine still the weakest?"

Jisoo's face fell. It was enough of an answer for the Warrior, who turned back towards the lake with a low sigh. "But that doesn't mean it's weak, Cheollie. You really shouldn't worry so much about it," the Wielder reassured, rubbing Seungcheol's arm to comfort him. "I actually thought you didn't care much since you were so quiet when Minghao and Hansol fought about it last time."

"Of course I care. I've known you longer than Hansol; it's unfair," the elder said sullenly and finished his ice cream.

"Well," Jisoo had to bite back a smile at his grumpy expression, "technically we didn't really talk that much until later." He also threw his empty tub into the nearby bin.

Seungcheol sent him a half-hearted glare which quickly dissolved into a teasing grin. "You're only close because you sleep with them." The more Jisoo's cheeks reddened the more mischievous his grin became. "You should sleep with me instead to strengthen our bond."

The Wielder sputtered but couldn't think of a good comeback since his Warrior was right. Indeed, he usually shared a bed with Hansol when he slept over at Jeonghan's flat - except for the rare nights where he sneaked into Jihoon's bed for cuddles, but that was their little secret - and in his flat, he still shared his bed with Chan.

Seungcheol's grin widened even further. "So, what do you say?"

"B- but- but... W-well if you want to, I d-don't mind..." Jisoo was pretty sure that the day had just gotten ten degrees hotter.

Now it was Seungcheol's turn to flush, his expression incredulous for a split second before his eyes began sparkling in excitement. "Really?! Tonight?!"

The Wielder only nodded shyly and the Warrior immediately hugged him, causing Jisoo to blush even more, his heated cheek pressed against Seungcheol's ear. They remained this way and after a tense moment, the Wielder allowed himself to relax into the embrace. Seungcheol's body was warm and sturdy and he smelled like his favourite shampoo (Jisoo sometimes stole a bit while showering, he really liked it); it just felt right to be close to him. Jisoo closed his eyes and buried his nose in the crook of Seungcheol's neck, who in turn tightened his hold on him.

"Jisoo." His Bonded's voice sounded slightly husky and Jisoo felt something stir in the depths of his stomach when warm breath caressed his ear. He lifted his head and immediately got caught by dark eyes, sucking him in with unusual intensity. Seungcheol's eyes remained on his for a few long seconds before they wandered downwards, towards his lips. Jisoo was caught in a multitude of feelings, hot and cold at the same time, but everything just felt so _right_ when Seungcheol tilted his head and slowly leaned in.

Without a warning, the Wielder's phone rang, causing both of them to jump and quickly pull back. While Jisoo fumbled with his pocket, Seungcheol awkwardly scratched his neck. "Uhm... who is it?" he asked, after clearing his throat for the third time.

"Seokmin. It's rare for him to call me, maybe Kangin is with his family." Jisoo eyed the screen before picking up, his face still flushed from before. "Hel-"

Seokmin's voice was so loud that even Seungcheol could understand him clearly and Jisoo had to hold the phone away from his ear, a pained expression on his face. "Jisoo! Jisoo, help! I can't protect Kangin alone!"

 


	27. Family ties

Seungcheol was definitely the more athletic one out of the two males - his body steeled by years of soccer and basketball practice - while Jisoo had the stamina of cooked spaghetti and was lagging behind, breathing hard. The only things that kept the Wielder going were his concern about Kangin and Seokmin (well, more about the latter to be completely honest) and Seungcheol's gentle hand around his, pulling him along.

While describing a location not too far from the university grounds, the Guardian had explained that Kangin was currently engaged in a fight against three Forcebearers and a Wielder determined to take him down. He had hung up on Jisoo immediately afterwards without giving him the chance to ask how a powerless Wielder could possibly survive an attack by multiple Forcebearers.

Seungcheol had been rather sceptical regarding the trustworthiness of Seokmin's claims - it all sounded quite fishy to him - but Jisoo's worried expression had made him give in anyway, although not before calling his brothers and informing them of the situation.

Jisoo's phone rang once again while he tried to keep up with Seungcheol, and he had a bit of trouble reading the message he had received without falling flat on his face. "Jun... is on his way... but he's not sure... if he can use... your ability well," Jisoo informed Seungcheol, who couldn't fully hide his grin at the breathlessness of his Wielder's voice.

"He's a pretty good fighter even without an ability; he'll be helpful."

"How... oh god... how do you know?"

Avoiding Jisoo's judging eyes, the Warrior made sure to focus on the street in front of them. "We might have tested the two a little when they moved in? But nothing serious - anyways, we're close now," he said quickly and slowed down, much to Jisoo's relief. Seungcheol let go of his hand and approached the closest corner while the Wielder desperately tried to catch his breath. "It should be around here somewh- oh. Guess we found them. Hm, they're rank one and two; that explains how Kangin is still standing."

The Wielder snuck over to his Bonded to peek around the corner as well, his stomach immediately contracting at the sight of a sickening amount of fresh blood covering Kangin's sturdy body as well as multiple cuts and tears in his clothes. It seemed impossible that the other Wielder was still conscious while enduring the pain and blood loss of that many wounds - but just when Jisoo had opened his mouth to ask his Bonded, the answer came in the form of a lanky guy with unusually quick movements who used a pocket knife to slash at Kangin's arm. Without any attempt to avoid the cut, the bulky Wielder returned a straight punch, hitting his target right in the face. Jisoo's gaze wandered from Kangin's wound, that shimmered and vanished in an instant, to the figure crouching next to Kangin's legs. His eyes widened in horror: Seokmin was clinging to his Wielder's hand, healing his injuries as soon as he received them. Pain and exhaustion contorted his usually smiling face.

"That little... I knew he was one of _those_ Wielders, but still," Seungcheol whispered, suppressed anger making his voice tremble.

"What should we do?" Jisoo asked anxiously, holding his breath when a male with weirdly bluish skin attacked, leaving frostbites on Kangin's skin when he fought him off. Once again, the wounds vanished only seconds later. The Guardian looked like he was close to tears by now, his face overly pale.

The last Forcebearer, a rather small girl with a cute, round face who sported the mark of a two star Guardian on her cheek, stayed with her Wielder, a gorgeous but angry woman who was busy cussing at her Bonded for being unable to get rid of Kangin.

"Well, they're not _that_ intimidating, compared to who we've fought before, but I'm still not letting you go out there alone. So, until Jun comes, we either stay here..." Jisoo immediately started to protest, "... or we go together and I won't be able to use my ability," Seungcheol finished and the Wielder closed his mouth to weigh the options. Staying meant that Seokmin would have to keep healing Kangin and he already looked as if he would pass out any minute. But it also meant that Seungcheol could try to use his ability which would make a possible fight much easier - or, if he was able to get into the female Wielder's head, would resolve the situation at once.

Seokmin's anguished scream cut his musing short and he immediately tried to run to the Guardian - only to be held back by his Warrior. After a few seconds of fruitless, silent struggle, Jisoo gave up and leaned forward to peek around the corner once again, Seungcheol's arms still firmly wrapped around his waist. Seokmin was laying curled up on the dirty ground, cradling his stomach, while Kangin checked a new cut in his shirt, just below his ribs. The two hostile Warriors looked battered and almost as tired as Seokmin after their last unsuccessful attack. "How long are you gonna keep this up, Chaerin? Your Warriors are exhausted and I'm stronger than you anyway," Kangin asked nonchalantly after straightening his shirt, facing the enraged woman in front of him who didn't take kindly to his unconcerned attitude.

"Don't you fucking dare look down on me, Kangin! I'll get your Guardian this time; I'll stab you until he passes out before I cut you to pieces if I have to," she snarled, her pretty face distorted in fury.

"Chaerin, please, maybe we could-," the small Guardian next to her dared to plead but a scathing glare and a long-nailed hand on her arm silenced her in an instant.

"Nobody asked for your worthless opinion, Minzy."

"Stop talking to her like that, you little bitch." This time Kangin looked much less aloof, his usually arrogant face reddening in anger.

"Aw, is my little Nini upset?" Chaerin purred, her cat-like eyes not leaving Kangin's and her furious expression immediately replaced by a mockingly sad pout. "Don't cry, baby cousin... are you still bothered that uncle gave your little sister to me?" Kangin's eyes narrowed and a devious grin spread over Chaerin's face. "It's cute that you always stand up for her but she's pretty useless, y'know? Even you acknowledge it, right? Otherwise you would've traded your precious Guardian against her already."

Minzy's face fell at those words while Kangin paled slightly, his gaze darting to his sister before it returned to Chaerin's wide, predatory smile. "Y-you know I can't. Father wouldn't allow it," he said but the nervousness in his voice was glaringly obvious. It was the first time Jisoo had ever heard the other Wielder stutter. Even though he wasn't exactly Kangin's best friend, he felt sorry for him when Chaerin started laughing. Seungcheol's grip on his waist tightened, but this time it had nothing to do with stopping him from stepping in.

"You're a fucking coward who's afraid to lose his position in the family if you do something against uncle's orders. But you've always been an arrogant little shit just because you're the heir and that's the only fucking reason why you were given a powerful Forcebearer in the first place. I'm the older one; I should be the heir. It's just because you're a freaking _man_ that you got chosen. God, I hate you so much."

Kangin's face had returned to his usual colour during her rant and the sneer Jisoo knew so well played on his lips. "Wow. I knew you were bitter that I got the position but I never thought you'd be that bad. Come on, Chaerin. You've been trying to get my Guardian for years just to prove that you're better than me and you've failed every. Single. Time. Talk about pathetic."

Chaerin flushed in anger and embarrassment and her long nails dug into Minzy's arm who winced in pain but otherwise didn't show any reaction. Jisoo could see Seokmin shooting her a worried glance from his position on the ground while the Wielders kept arguing, but she ignored him and stared straight ahead, just like the two Warriors who had taken position behind Chaerin.

"I'm glad you're not like them," Seungcheol whispered, causing Jisoo to jump in surprise at the unexpected sound of his voice and the close proximity to his ear.

"Yes, I'm glad too," the Wielder agreed. His eyes never left the scene in front of him, taking in the blank faces of the exhausted Forcebearers and the hateful glares of the Wielders. "They don't care about each other at all, not even in the families. No wonder Kangin turned out the way he is. What a sad way to live."

Seungcheol tousled Jisoo's hair to cheer him up and was rewarded with a small smile for his effort. "Let's stop them before they try to kill each other again. Jun should be here soon and I'm sure the others will be coming too."

Jisoo nodded. Entwining their fingers, Seungcheol guided him in the open. After a few steps they had attracted Seokmin's attention, who sent them a grateful but exhausted smile, and after a few more seconds, the Wielders and the other Forcebearers noticed them as well.

Kangin glared at Jisoo before Seungcheol moved in front of his Wielder and broke their eye contact. "So, what's going on here?" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips. He seemed not the least bit intimidated by the tense atmosphere.

"Nothing for passerbys to worry about," Chaerin spat and Kangin nodded.

"Well, since my friend is lying half-dead on the street and my classmate looks like he got attacked by an angry lion, I thought I should investigate a little," Seungcheol replied happily.

"Stop butting in, Seungcheol. I don't need your help," Kangin said through clenched teeth, his anger only thinly veiled behind a mask of fake nonchalance.

"Did you call your little Wielder-friend and his Forcebearer for help, Nini?" Chaerin mocked. "He looks even weaker than Minzy. What are you? Rank one with enhanced taste-buds or something equally lame?" she asked Jisoo, whose cheeks reddened at her condescending tone.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop talking down to my Wielder," Seungcheol replied in Jisoo's place. His voice had remained friendly but the air of light-heartedness around him had dissipating at once. A surge of the Warrior's burning anger was rushing through the bond, much stronger than the Wielder had expected after such a relatively harmless comment.

Kangin froze at his words and eyed Jisoo with deep distrust. "Since when? Don't you belong to Jihoon?"

The anger flared up even more and Jisoo quickly reached for Seungcheol's hand to keep him calm and collected. "I don't _belong_ to anyone, Kangin. I _decided_ to be Jisoo's Forcebearer. So, now, how do we solve this situation?"

"Who do you think you are? That's a matter between Wielders; learn your place, Forcebearer," Chaerin hissed and her disgusted expression looked eerily similar to the one Kangin usually wore when talking to someone he deemed weak.

"E-excuse me, but he has the same right to speak y-you have," Jisoo interjected meekly, already bracing himself for the next outburst. Silence pressed down on him while not only the Wielders but also the Forcebearers kept staring, with the exception of Seokmin and Seungcheol.

It was broken by Chaerin with a loud snort. "Is this a joke? Are you some sort of sad little Forcebearer-rights activist or something?"

"Ignore him; he's always like that," Kangin scoffed and turned back towards his cousin. "But I'm tired of your bullshit, so let's wrap this up. Seokmin, get ready."

"I don't think I can-," the Guardian started weakly - but before he could finish his sentence, the two Warriors attacked once again and he lunged forward to grab Kangin's hand.

Just before he reached him, the pocket knife of the fast Warrior lodged itself firnly into the Wielder's upper arm and Kangin swore loudly at the pain, jumping backwards when the Warrior with the cold skin tried to touch him. "God fucking damn it! What kind of useless Guardian are you?!" Seokmin flinched but still took his hand without a word, his face losing what little colour had been left while he healed the deep wound.

Seungcheol's anger in Jisoo's chest slowly got overshadowed by his own when he witnessed Kangin take punch after punch, his Guardian bearing the pain of it. "We need to stop them. And I want Seokmin out of his contract," he hissed towards his own Forcebearer. Seungcheol only nodded while they watched Chaerin attack, long nails clawing at every part of Kangin she could reach.


	28. Offer

Apparently, Jun was a master of timing. Just when Jisoo had braced himself to step in once more, he casually walked into the scene, sending Jisoo and Seungcheol a grin and acting as if seeing bloody and beaten people was as normal as a hot day in summer (to be fair, it probably was to him - but Jisoo hastily tried not to think about it too much). He was wearing his usual ragged, black hoodie that seemed to appear out of thin air whenever a fight was drawing closer, but this time the hood was lowered. It gave him the somewhat innocent look of a poor college kid just randomly passing by.

Apparently, Jun was also a great actor since a very convincing expression of fear crossed his features as soon as the people stuck in the fight noticed him. At the sight of a new witness, Chaerin stopped attacking immediately and her battered Forcebearers pulled back as well. Only Kangin was left standing in the middle of the road, his torn and bloody clothes the only indicator of the fight he had just taken part in. Seokmin was lying next to him, half-conscious, still loyally clinging to his his hand. The burly Wielder shook him off with an annoyed grimace.

After a few seconds of horrified staring, Jun finally opened his mouth. "Oh my god! Help! A fight! An ambush! Criminals! Don't come closer; I've already called the police! They'll be here in a minute!" he yelled passionately and waved his arms, Kangin and Chaerin cringing at his volume while Jisoo and Seungcheol shared a short, dumbfounded look. The Wielder could feel the amusement of both his Bonded bubbling in his chest and the feeling made it quite hard to suppress a smile, although it conflicted with his anger and concern about Seokmin's condition.

While Jun kept loudly exclaiming about murder and robberies, Seungcheol leaned closer to Jisoo's ear. "His expression is good but he's horrible at delivering lines. Jeonghan would do a much better job."

"I don't think he needs to be convincing; he just needs to be loud enough," Jisoo whispered back, the smile finally tugging at the corners of his mouth. At that sight, Seungcheol tousled his hair before turning his attention back to the shouting Warrior.

Jun's tactic of causing a ruckus seemed to work just fine when Chaerin began to glance around nervously, even taking a few more steps back to look as uninvolved in the situation as possible. It was obvious that she wasn't very keen on turning the family feud into a public issue, especially not when it came to police involvement. Jisoo could only imagine the wrath she would face from the rest of her family if her meddling would get Kangin and her arrested - and judging by her pale face, her thoughts had wandered in a similar direction. Jun was still spouting nonsense when she suddenly cursed loudly and turned around, motioning her Forcebearers to follow her with an arrogant flick of the wrist. With a last venomous glare in Kangin's direction, she strode away, pulling Minzy with her who seemed reluctant to leave but had to obey in order not to be the recipient of Chaerin's foul mood.

As soon as they were gone, Jun stopped rambling and Kangin began to gather his belongings, prompting Jisoo to run over to check on his friend. Seokmin's eyes were closed, but his breathing was steady and when Jisoo sat next to him and touched his forehead, the ghost of his usual smile flickered over his face. "Your fingers are cold." The Wielder immediately pulled back with an apology, but Seokmin only shook his head, eyes still closed. "Feels good."

Smiling, Jisoo took his hand, even though Kangin's judging stare made him quite uncomfortable. Jun and Seungcheol came over to take a look as well and Kangin warily eyed the newcomer in his black hoodie but apparently decided not to ask any questions. Instead he focused on assessing the damage done to his clothes.

It took Jisoo a moment to gather his courage before he dared to address the elephant in the room. He squeezed the Guardian's fingers in for support who weakly returned the gesture. "K-Kangin, we need to t-talk about how you're treating S-Seokmin."

The bulky Wielder looked up from his shirt, his expression filled with disbelief, and Jisoo had to fight the strong urge to hide in a hole – until the feeling of Jun's hands on his shoulders boosted his confidence quite a bit, his Warrior's figure towering over him protectively. He leaned into the touch for added comfort and faced the other Wielder head-on, not breaking eye contact, although Kangin's disbelief had morphed into anger.

"It's my decision how I treat my Bonded. What the hell are you trying to say?" he growled, fists clenched.

"S-Seokmin is important to me and you're abusing your status as a W-Wielder." Jisoo blushed at Kangin's pitying look but still determinedly stared back, squeezing Seokmin's hand slightly harder.

"Great, now what?"

"Well, you know, Jisoo here is currently in contracts with seven very capable Forcebearers, six of them are Warriors. And you have what? One Guardian?" came Jun's voice from behind while he casually began to massage his Wielder's shoulders.

Jisoo flinched at the implication while Kangin stiffened and glared at the Warrior. "Are you threatening me?!"

Jisoo didn't need to see his face to be able to imagine the smirk playing on Jun's lips. "Wow, you're more intelligent than you loo-"

"No, we're not threatening you," Seungcheol quickly jumped in to salvage the situation and silenced Jun with a sharp look, surprisingly similar to one of Jihoon's you-better-shut-your-trap-now-or-else-glares. "It's just that Seokmin is our friend and we don't want to see his ability getting abused."

The Wielder watched as Kangin relaxed slightly at Seungcheol's reassurance, his expression still tense and defiant but mixed with an ever so small hint of remorse.

Suddenly a thought popped up, a thought he immediately tried to send back to wherever it had come from due to his own strict morals - but it was stuck in the back of Jisoo's head, prodding him while he tried to follow the conversation between his Bonded and Kangin.

_That's blackmail_ , he argued with himself _\- It's just an offer; he doesn't have to take it. - You are using his emotions against him. - He abuses Seokmin. - That does not make your idea any better. You are a terrible human being for even thinking about it._

Jisoo became aware that his Forcebearer's had noticed his restlessness and unease when Jun's warm fingers began to draw soothing circles on the bare skin of his neck and Seungcheol sent him several questioning glances while talking to the other Wielder. He forcibly shut down the debate in his head and took a deep breath. "Kangin, I want to offer you a deal."

The burly Wielder raised a condescending eyebrow while the Forcebearers looked on in confusion, not sure what to make of the turmoil inside of Jisoo. "What kind of deal?" Kangin finally asked.

"I want to exchange Seokmin against your sister," Jisoo said calmly, neither his voice nor his face betraying any of his conflicting emotions.

Kangin raised his eyebrows even further, a look of disbelief crossing his features. "My sister? Why? What does she have to do with anything?"

Jisoo leaned back against Jun's legs, who continued to caress his neck, and played with Seokmin's hand in his lap. "It seems like you're in a contract with Seokmin because of your family but you'd prefer one with your sister. And you have to admit, what Jun said earlier is true: you only have a Guardian which is not ideal in a fight against Warriors. My Forcebearers and I could help you get your sister from Chaerin, but in return I want you to cancel the contract with Seokmin."

Not only Kangin was staring at him, Seungcheol also looked at him as if he had grown a second head and Jun had stopped moving behind him. "Are you insane?" Kangin asked incredulously. "I don't even know you; why would I believe you? Also my inheritance is closely linked to having Seokmin as a Forcebearer; I won't risk that."

Recovering from his shock, Seungcheol immediately jumped onto the opportunity. "You could do it like me and Jihoon; just keep him around to make it look like he belongs to you. If he gets into a new contract, he can still heal you and everything."

Kangin's angry face fell slightly. "Why would he do that for me? I've treated him like shit."

The group collectively jumped when Seokmin unexpectedly spoke from his position on the ground, eyes still closed. "Exactly, we've been together for years and I've got to know you quite well. Even though you're kind of an asshole, you _can_ be a decent person too sometimes. Of course I wouldn't just abandon you." He opened his eyes and grinned brightly, the lines of exhaustion already a little less deep on his face. Kangin looked an interesting mixture of insulted and flattered and hid his embarrassment behind another glare. "And I know how much Minzy means to you and how worried you are about her, so you should really consider the offer."

It was obvious that the burly Wielder was fighting with himself but after a few moments of silence he sighed. He almost looked as tired as his Guardian. "You'd still come with me to family gatherings?"

 

 

"Are you okay, Minnie?" Jisoo asked while helping the Guardian climb back to his feet.

Seokmin smiled and nodded in a not very convincing way. "Getting out of a contract and right back into another one is quite an experience. Also healing is a pretty draining ability," he explained with an apologetic shrug.

"You could've just stayed unbonded and picked a Wielder after you've gotten some rest, I don't get why you had to hurry... And it doesn't help that you hurt yourself every time you heal someone" Jisoo scolded with a disapproving frown and the Guardian grinned sheepishly.

"Your bond seems to help though; I've never been able to get up so easily after a fight before. It works much better than Kangin's."

"Well, it's Jisoo we're talking about after all," Jun chirped and slung one of Seokmin's arms over his shoulder to steady him. "I'm Jun, by the way. Warrior number two."

Shooting his new Wielder a confused glance, the Guardian introduced himself as well. "Seokmin, nice to meet you. Uhm... what's number two about?"

Jisoo shook his head in resignation. "They decided that it's somehow important in which order they got bonded. Chan started it; he's Guardian number one."

Seokmin immediately perked up. "How many Guardians do you have?"

"Well... two, including you."

"Great, I'll be Guardian number two then," he said happily, all signs of tiredness gone.

While Jun congratulated Seokmin to his high number, Seungcheol slung an arm around his Wielder's shoulders and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Let's go home. Jeonghan wrote that he brought his car and he's waiting for us at the gate. Are you staying for dinner, Seokmin?"

For a moment the Guardian looked in the direction his former Wielder had walked away in not long ago and then he turned back with a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm in."

 

Jisoo had returned to his designated room after dinner, mulling over how natural it felt to think of Jeonghan's flat as 'home' by now. It slowly got crowded though with the addition of yet another Bonded to the growing group of Forcebearers. Jihoon had assigned Seokmin to the last empty bed in the flat earlier, in the room Chan occupied whenever they slept over. Apart from the original tenants of the flat, Jisoo was the only one in a single room and he wasn't sure whether he liked this sort of special treatment - but Jeonghan had been quite adamant about it.

He slipped under his sheets after taking a satisfyingly hot shower (nicking some of Seungcheol's shampoo once again) and brushing his teeth. And even though his head was filled with doubts and worries regarding the events of the day, sleep came quickly.

 

-

 

The hallway was too dark for me to see properly, but I knew it well enough to remember where the sharp edges of the furniture were hidden. I was hoping that Jisoo was still awake - but it seemed that I was out of luck since the flat was completely silent. Only Ji's room still had a soft shimmer seeping through the crack under his door but he usually wore thick headphones at night, so no sound was heard. It wasn't even that late in my opinion, but I had always been more of a night-person if I had a choice. I wasn't like Ji, who got creative and spent countless hours working on his music, but I enjoyed being awake while it was quiet enough to let my thoughts float a little - the after-effects of living with multiple (loud) others. It was probably also a remnant of our days in the orphanage where silence was a rare treat.

But I didn't want to be alone right now; I wanted to see Jisoo since our time together had gotten cut short today. The seconds before the phone call were burnt into my memory. It had been incredibly tempting to just lean in and connect our lips. Such a simple gesture with so many implications and consequences - and his flushed face hadn't left my mind ever since.

I was fully aware that I had developed a major crush on my Wielder over the last few weeks but I had never deliberately entertained the thought to actually act on the urges I felt whenever he was close by. The risk was just too big. The risk to destroy the friendships and happiness that had developed over the last weeks, not only between Jisoo and us but also between the Forcebearers. But it was so hard to see him laughing with Jun or cuddling with Chan on the couch and not feel a sting of jealousy.

Even Ji smiled more whenever he was with our Wielder - it freaked me out a little to see him like that. Usually Jeonghan and I were the social ones, the ones who took care of others, while Jihoon stayed in the background, but when it came to Jisoo, he had taken part since day one. Both Jeonghan and I had thought we were hallucinating when Ji had started talking about a 'weirdo' in his new project-group during dinner a few weeks back - the first time he had ever mentioned a classmate during his free time. Of course neither I nor Jeonghan had let that slide, but while I had merely thought up an excuse to talk to them, Jeonghan had been his usual over-the-top self and had forced Jihoon to bring Jisoo over to our flat. Who would've thought that we all would end up in contracts with the shy boy who had spilt his coke when Jeonghan had talked to him?

His door was closed and I hesitated to knock, not wanting to wake him after the stressful afternoon. We all had been able to feel that - even though he had helped Seokmin get rid of his contract - he wasn't happy. It was just so typical for him to worry too much about problems he couldn't solve, like the abuse some Forcebearers faced. It warmed my heart to have a Wielder as compassionate as him and - although I'd have never thought I'd say that - I couldn't imagine being without his bond anymore. I would probably feel empty without Jisoo's emotions that made my chest tingle throughout the day. Sometimes I wondered whether the others felt the same way but, just based on their smiles whenever a new wave of happiness washed over us, I was pretty sure they did.

The emotions while Jisoo slept were less tangible: Soft warmth whenever he slept well or a wild flurry of fear and anxiety whenever he had a nightmare. Every time that happened, the Forcebearers who were awake met in front of his room, deciding who would wake him up and comfort him through a heated battle of rock-paper-scissors. Ji was the only one who never participated since he absolutely hated sharing his bed - another remnant from back in the days.

After a few moments, I slowly opened his door without knocking and peeked into the room. Ever since Jisoo had gotten into the fight with Jaesang, he slept with a night light on (Jeonghan had bought it for him after his third consecutive night of nightmares and it had helped quite well) which filled his room with a soft, orange glow and outlined his body under the sheets. He was sleeping soundly, the blanket moving with every quiet breath he took, and the amount of emotions I felt at the simple sight scared me. It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Of course I knew that love could blossom between bonded pairs - my adoptive parents were the best example after all - but we weren't just a pair; we were seven, no, eight including Seokmin now, in contracts with a single person. There was no room for romance and we were all aware of that fact - although some more than others. But still, the looks Jisoo received from some of his Bonded when he was laughing or even while he was doing mundane everyday tasks painted a completely different picture. I would call myself one of the more attentive Forcebearers of our group and of course I had noticed how Chan only reluctantly left his side whenever they had to sleep in separate rooms, how Hansol looked at Jisoo with just as much trust as he looked at Jun, how Jeonghan turned even more into a mother hen when it came to everything regarding the Wielder (although, admittedly, he hid it well behind flirty remarks) and how Jun simply would not stop touching him, much to not only my annoyance. Even Jihoon allowed more physical contact than he usually did and Minghao had started swinging by much more often recently – _coincidentally_ always when Jisoo was visiting as well.

I carefully kneeled down next to his bed and examined his face; slightly parted lips, dark lashes, soft skin and silky hair that hid his forehead.

He was beautiful. He was adorable. He was perfect all around.

And here I was, watching him like a creep after sneaking into his bedroom. What the hell was wrong with me?

Disturbed by my own actions, I hastily got up to leave - only noticing that the decorated iron knob of Jisoo's bedside drawer had gotten caught in the pocket of my sweater when it was already too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh ;)   
> In case anyone is interested in fluffy JiCheol (as in Jihoon, not Jisoo), maybe check out my new story [Hairballs](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17647262/chapters/41614757)? :)


	29. Shards

Jisoo opened his eyes, unsure why he had woken up. Everything felt hazy and nebulous, he neither knew what time it was nor did he particularly care to find out.

"Did you sleep well, love?"

Smiling tiredly, Jisoo nodded, still dazed from his slumber. He stretched but made no attempt to get up, prompting the Forcebearer who was resting next to him to prop up his head so they could meet eyes. "Why are you here?" the Wielder asked after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

"Shouldn't I be?" Jeonghan's smile against the backdrop of blurred shapes and muted colours was a magnificent sight, his long hair shimmering golden like honey in the light. Jisoo reached out to run his fingers through it and Jeonghan tilted his head at the pleasant feeling, eyes not leaving his Wielder's face.

"I like having you with me," came the slightly distracted response and the Warrior's smile widened at the satisfying answer. Swiftly, he leaned forward, his upper body snugly draped over Jisoo's and his long hair tickling the cheeks of the other male. The Wielder laughed at the feeling and gently tucked some of the silky strands behind Jeonghan's ears. "Chan will throw a fit if he sees you like this; you know how possessive he is."

"I doubt he'll turn up. Unless you want him to join?" Jeonghan raised an eyebrow, his smile turning into a smirk.

Confusion crossed Jisoo's features and he eyed the other's suggestive grin warily. "What do you mean?"

"Or would you prefer someone else? Hansol? Jun would definitely be up for it. Maybe even Jihoon - but that would be weird since we're basically brothers." Jisoo still wasn't sure what the other was implying but that didn't stop the blood from rushing into his cheeks. His stomach churned in expectation of... he couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but Jeonghan's smooth voice and dark eyes excited him.

"I don't want to share you, but if I have to, I will," the Warrior purred and the breath that hit his cheek struck Jisoo like lightning. By now the temperature seemed to be rising and his flush darkened even further. He froze when he felt something soft touch his ear and Jeonghan's long fingers began to caress his jaw, slowly moving towards the collar of his shirt. His brain seemed to cease all functions when his Warrior's lips caught his earlobe and a warm tongue flicked against it, eliciting various feelings that burned deep down in the pit of his stomach. A loud gasp escaped him when Jeonghan began to suck and he immediately tried to muffle his heavy breathing with his hands, embarrassed at the thought of any sounds escaping him. 

He became acutely aware of Jeonghan's chest on his, only separated by thin layers of clothing. The Warrior seemed to have a similar thought, his fingers dipping into the collar of Jisoo's shirt while his lips wandered down his throat ever so slowly, making the Wielder shiver in anticipation. Just when he had reached Jisoo's collar bone, a loud _crash_ made both of them flinch - the dream shattering into pieces just like the lamp Seungcheol had accidentally pushed from the nightstand.

It was hard to determine who was more frightened at that particular moment: Jisoo because of the sudden loud noise, the abruptness of the situation and the person next to his bed, or Seungcheol because he had gotten caught while creeping around in the room of his crush (by said crush, to make matters worse). Only the slight breathlessness that was the last remainder of his dream prevented Jisoo from screaming bloody murder. "Oh god- wha- who?"

"I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I got stuck and kinda tipped over the nightstand and then the lamp fell and I tried to catch it but I'll buy you a new one, I promise, and I'll clean it up, you can keep sleeping, just ignore-"

By now Jisoo had recognized the voice of his frantic Forcebearer - but even if he hadn't, the panicked feelings flowing freely through their bond gave him away anyway. "Seungcheol? What's going on? Why are you here?" He felt a rather scary sense of déjà vu at the question and Jeonghan's smirk flashed through his thoughts. The dim lighting of the bedroom fortunately hid his burning cheeks.

Seungcheol looked terribly uncomfortable as he scratched the back of his head, still awkwardly standing in a slightly crouched position in front of the bed. "Uhm... I just wanted to check if you're asleep already. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to, you know, creep up on you or something. I'll just clean up the mess I made and go to bed." He straightened up and attempted to move towards the door but he froze at Jisoo's exclamation.

"Stop! Don't walk over there barefooted; my lamp had a glass shade, there'll be shards everywhere."

"And what am I supposed to do? I can't stand here until the sun comes up." Even in this situation, Jisoo's worried expression made him smile softly. "It'll be okay, we have disinfectant in the bathroom."

"Of course you can't stand the whole night, but you c-could sleep with me. You said you w-wanted to earlier, r-right?" While Jisoo was suddenly very busy straightening his blanket, Seungcheol had a few seconds to pull himself together.

It didn't work very well. "Yeah, if you, you know, if you don't mind, I'd like that, yeah." The prospect of walking through glass shards to escape the awkwardness didn't seem so bad at that moment. "Uhm... but is it really okay? Are you sure?"

The Wielder stopped fiddling and instead lifted the blanket for the Warrior to slip. His shy smile immediately melted all of Seungcheol's doubts (and his heart as well - but that was way too cheesy to ever say it out loud).

 

Lying next to Seungcheol was very different from lying next to Chan or Jihoon since he was taller than either of the two. It was also different from Hansol since the younger was extremely cuddly whenever Jisoo visited him at night (a stark contrast to the 'gangster' image he still tried to keep up whenever he was around the others) while Seungcheol was as stiff as a log next to him. After a few minutes of collectively staring at the dark ceiling, the Wielder tried to break the awkward silence. "Uhm... Is it okay if I t-turn in your direction? I can't s-sleep on my back."

"Oh, sure, sorry; it's your bed after all. Sorry, I'm really not used to that kind of situation," the Warrior replied somewhat breathlessly and turned towards Jisoo as well, finally searching for a more comfortable sleeping position. Face to face, they smiled at their shyness and Seungcheol closed his eyes, trying to relax.

Jisoo followed the lines of his Bonded's face: the thick eyebrows, high cheekbones, full lips and sharp jawline. If he had to choose his favourite part of Seungcheol, it would probably be his expressive eyes and their warm chocolate colour. It bothered him a little that they were closed right now, locking him away from the feelings they were usually displaying quite openly. "Uhm Cheollie... that sounds a bit weird but could y-you stop blocking the connection? It's weird to be so close to y-you and not feel our bond."

Seungcheol's eyes opened and the Wielder was met with hesitation and doubt. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to bother you while you're trying to sleep."

"It's not bothering me; it's soothing," Jisoo said with a smile. "It's nice of you guys that you're trying to help me out but I rarely feel any of you anymore... and if I do it's usually negative feelings."

His smile had turned sad at the end of his explanation and some of the hesitation vanished from Seungcheol's gaze. The doubt stayed, though, even stronger than before. He lifted his hand and ran it through Jisoo's hair, whose face brightened at th comforting gesture. "Don't be sad, Soo; we're just trying to protect you."

"I can handle it. I need to get used to it too. Please? Just for tonight?"

Seungcheol sighed but remained quiet. He was worried what Jisoo would find if he allowed himself to show his emotions freely but he didn't want to give Jisoo the feeling of being separated from them either. Loneliness and sadness were still seeping through the bond and his heart clenched at the thought of being one of the reasons for it. "I'm scared you won't like what I'm feeling," he finally whispered after a few more moments of hesitation and the thought alone was enough to hurt his heart even more.

Confusion was clearly written on Jisoo's face, his forehead furrowed while he tried to figure out what his Forcebearer was trying to say. "Why would I? As long as you don't secretly dislike me, I'll be okay."

Seungcheol looked indignant at the statement, as if the thought of disliking Jisoo was a personal insult. "Of course not, it's just hard to explain." He rubbed a hand down his face and sighed once again. "Okay, here goes nothing."

It was as if a floodgate had opened. So many emotions were swirling through Jisoo's chest that it was hard to distinguish where his own ended and Seungcheol's began. He hadn't noticed how strong their bond had grown over the weeks of being blocked out and he was surprised to feel even the slightest swings in his Warrior's mood. Before this night, the emotions he had been shown had never felt this diverse, nor had they felt as strong.

"...Seungcheol, have you been filtering your feelings?" The Forcebearer looked everywhere but at him and only nodded in reply. Jisoo could feel his nervousness and discomfort clearly. "Why?"

Now everything was tinged in embarrassment and Seungcheol's ears turned noticeably darker. "Isn't it obvious? I didn't want you to know that I'm, you know, uhm, crushing on you." The last part was almost inaudible.

Jisoo could feel his own embarrassment blossoming at the open admittance but he tried to smother it. "But isn't it a g-good thing to be loved? W-why would you think I'd be mad?"

Seungcheol eyed him for a few seconds, double-checking the feelings flowing through the bond, before he sat up abruptly. "Wait. Why are you not surprised by the confession?"

Now it was Jisoo's turn to look indignant while sitting up as well and the Warrior had to force himself not to coo at him. "You almost kissed me today; do you think I'm stupid? I might be oblivious but that was so obvious, even I noticed it."

"Oh. I see. So... uh... and you're okay with it?"

"With you being in love with me?" Both of them blushed simultaneously. "Yes, sure. I d-don't think my feelings are as strong as y-yours though. Yet."

A wave of giddiness hit him through the bond and Seungcheol's smile was blinding even in the dim light. "So if I'd try to kiss you now, would you mind?"

"... no."

Jisoo closed his eyes when the other leaned in and he had to remind himself to keep breathing. This time there was no phone to disturb them and Seungcheol used that chance to finally steal the kiss he had been imagining throughout the day.

Seungcheol's lips felt just as soft as they looked and their light touch alone made every nerve inside Jisoo tingle. The Warrior pulled him closer by his waist, their bodies flush against each other and the Wielder thoroughly enjoyed the feelings of safety and love it brought him. He wrapped his arms around the other's neck and his chest filled with Seungcheol's euphoria.

All of the sudden, a gentle nip at his lips brought him back to reality. He pulled back and opened his eyes, worry filling him. "Did I do something wrong?"

His concern was mirrored by the Warrior, whose deep flush was visible even in the orange light. "No! Did I? Why did you stop?" he asked.

Once again, Jisoo was confused. This was more difficult than he had imagined it to be. "Uhm.. you bit me so I thought you wanted me to?"

Seungcheol looked absolutely scandalized at the assumption. "I didn't _bite_ you! I wanted you to open your mouth a bit to- never mind."

The elder avoided eye contact but Jisoo was very adamant about finding out what was going on. "To do what? Tell me, Cheollie, please!"

Groaning at the unfair use of his nickname, Seungcheol shook his head. "Have you never watched a Hollywood movie or something? I'd rather just show you than talk about it."

"I did but I've always looked away at kiss scenes because I was embarrassed," the Wielder confessed and grinned brightly.

The elder shook his head again, this time with a smile, and leaned in once more after lightly pinching Jisoo's nose. The touch of Seungcheol's lips felt more familiar by now which only heightened the thrill. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine when their mouths moved in unison and this time he didn't pull back when the Warrior lightly sucked on his lower lip - instead he did as he was told and parted his lips. The feeling of Seungcheol's tongue was foreign but not unpleasant and he tasted slightly like mint. Shyly, Jisoo began to mimic his movements, eliciting a satisfied sound from the Warrior that made heat pool in his stomach for the second time that night. There was only Seungcheol in his mind at this moment: his smell, his taste and the feeling of his hands in his hair. It was so much better than anything he could have ever imagined.

They separated for some much needed air but their bodies stayed wrapped around each other, Jisoo in Seungcheol's arms, his legs around the elder's hips. Only now he noticed that his hands had found their way under Seungcheol's loose shirt and the feeling of smooth, warm skin beneath his fingers made him crave for more. Although they were both breathing heavily, they were smiling brightly at each other and Jisoo once again felt like he was drowning in the feelings that flooded through the bond.

"We should probably sleep soon," Seungcheol said after a few moments and left a small peck on his Wielder's temple. "We have to get up early tomorrow."

Jisoo sighed but laid down nonetheless, pulling the other next to him and immediately cuddling into his side. "Always the reliable one. I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep now."

Seungcheol laughed and stole another sweet kiss that Jisoo was only too willing to give him. "I'm pretty sure you're exhausted, but if you can't sleep, I'll be here."

Jisoo nodded and smiled, enjoying the feeling of his Warrior's body against his. And even though they got distracted a few more times, in Seungcheol's arms sleep came much faster than he had expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to get some feedback from you guys :)  
> Do you like the pacing of the story? Do the characters feel natural? Did you notice any mistakes/inconsistencies in the storyline (or my grammar/vocabulary/writing ^^' I'm not a native speaker unfortunately)?  
> I'm always trying to improve myself~


	30. Silence

"Hyung, time to- oh. What happened to your lamp? And why are _you_ here?!" Chan's voice had adopted a rather threatening tone at the last question and the sound of crushed glass became audible when he approached the bed. Jisoo's eyes immediately shot open to check whether the younger had hurt himself. To his relief, he found that Chan was already wearing his sneakers (although Jisoo usually scolded him for it), his feet well protected.

"Be careful, you're going to spread glass all over the flat," he mumbled groggily but the Guardian completely ignored his advice for the sake of staring at him. At his throat, to be more specific.

Seungcheol had sat up next to Jisoo and was eyeing the unusually quiet male. "Are you okay? Chan?"

At the mention of his name, Chan finally flinched and caught their concerned gazes. He looked slightly lost and even younger than usual. "Hyung, is that- is that a hickey?"

 

-

 

Ever since the other guys had moved in, I couldn't remember a time when it had been this quiet during breakfast. Usually there was at least some sort of bickering going on between Hansol and Jun, or Jeonghan was annoying everyone with the newest celebrity gossip he religiously followed. I was pretty sure he was the sole reason most of those gossip magazines hadn't gone bankrupt yet. But everyone had their own hobbies, who was I to judge?

I usually concentrated on eating and reading the news, so it really didn't matter whether someone was talking as long as they weren't talking to me. Everyone knew better than to do so anyway. But today not even the news could distract me from the reason why it was so silent:

Apparently my brother had fucked up. Big surprise.

Although I couldn't really blame him since nobody had had the guts to actually talk about the issue beforehand. The issue being Jisoo and our god damn feelings for him. I had simply assumed that we would all maintain status quo - nobody crossed the line, everyone stayed somewhat happy. But, oh well. I knew my brother the best and of course I knew that Cheol sometimes turned off his brain and instead did whatever his heart told him. It was probably at least partially my fault for not talking to him more often lately. Damn it. And now we were stuck in this mess because of my stupidity and Cheol's inability to read the freaking situation.

I put down my fork since I wasn't hungry anyway and, to my surprise, Jisoo followed suit, his rice only half eaten. "Could you _please_ tell me what you're thinking? You're all blocking me and I don't know what's going on," he pleaded and tried to catch the gazes of those present. Seokmin and I were the only ones ballsy enough to not look away. The silence that followed was long and burdensome but I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound like an accusation - which would probably make matters worse. But seriously, how could he not see what the glaringly obvious issue was?

Jeonghan was the one to finally break the silence. I inwardly applauded him for it. "Jisoo, sweety. What did- uhm, have you and Cheollie- are you and Cheollie a couple?" I knew my brother well enough to hear the pain in his voice although he tried to play it somewhat cool.

Jisoo's cheeks reddened - a fact that none of us Forcebearers missed - and he glanced over to Seungcheol. My brother's face was unreadable, a sure sign that he had grasped the consequences of his actions by now. "Uhm... I don't think s-so? Not y-yet, at least?" It was hard to bear the awkwardness he was radiating when Seungcheol didn't answer immediately and I couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him.

My brother carefully set down his chopsticks before looking up from his bowl and facing the stares directed at him. "I like Jisoo, a lot actually. We're not in a relationship or anything because I don't think he's ready for one, but I'll wait for him."

My stomach felt as if it was lodged in my throat at the sight of Jisoo's embarrassed smile and his joy burned like acid inside of me. I forced a small smile in response. By the looks of it, I wasn't the only one.

Chan caught my gaze and the amount of sadness in his eyes surprised me. I knew he was one of the closest Forcebearers to Jisoo but I didn't expect him to be that serious about the whole matter - I usually perceived him as a child, a bit of a brat sometimes but a good person overall. It only hit me at that moment that he was an adult with deep, valid feelings. Seokmin next to him had obviously noticed it too and I wondered shortly whether it was due to his ability or if he was just a very empathetic person in general. While I was watching, he quietly placed one of his prawns in Chan's bowl which earned him a sad smile. Strangely enough, it made my heart feel a bit lighter.

Jeonghan caught my gaze next, his unnatural bright smile not reaching his eyes. I was sure that he was considering to lighten the mood with a joke or one of his usual flirty quips but the tight grip on his chopsticks revealed his real feelings. I raised an eyebrow at him and his shoulders relaxed slightly, the smile immediately sliding from his lips. He looked more than disappointed at that moment, defeated and ready to give up.

Hansol and Jun excused themselves from the table shortly after; another first on this blessed day. Usually they ate until nothing was left or until I forced them to stop, probably because they were used to starving on the streets. Their food remained almost untouched in front of their empty chairs and the silence that hung over the table seemed to grow even heavier after their departure. I could see regret in Cheol's eyes and in the way the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. Jisoo also was very quiet while picking at his food, his feelings not tangible for me at the moment. I wondered if he had felt the desperation the short talk had caused or if the others had blocked it from him the way I had - to preserve his happiness.

 

Seungcheol and Chan were on breakfast duty, a valid reason for the rest of us to scram. My room was dim when I opened the door, the blinds closed for the most part. I flopped onto the bed and tried not to think of anything.

It didn't work.

Focusing on my breathing didn't work either.

Goddamnit.

As always, my last resort was music and the sound blasting through my headphones finally drowned out the 'what ifs' and 'maybes'. I had about an hour left until we had to leave for university so I closed my eyes and tried to relax, following the rhythm of my newest creation and finding all the small parts I needed to improve.

A soft touch on my face startled me back into reality. Jisoo rarely visited my room during the daytime, so his figure in front of my bed was an unexpected sight. I had always felt that he was more open at night when he couldn't actually see my face and sometimes, during class and at home, he even seemed somewhat intimidated while speaking to me. It hurt but I couldn't blame him. I knew all too well how I was perceived by others and in general I was fine with it too; I liked to be left alone. My pokerface was immediately in place after the first scare had worn off and I forced my heart to calm down at the sight of the creases between his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" I asked after I had taken off my headphones and moved towards the wall to make some space for him. Jisoo laid down, his face half buried in my pillow, and simply studied me for a few long moments. I tried to stay as still as possible - which was harder than I cared to admit. The urges to touch him, to kiss him, to let out all of my frustrations by hitting the wall and yelling curses - they all fought against the strong grip I had on my self-control.

He broke the moment by sighing and turning onto his back, now facing the empty, white ceiling. "I've made a m-mistake, didn't I?"

I didn't want to talk about this. I hated talking about it. But I still answered. "What mistake?"

"I-I shouldn't have k-kissed Cheollie. I'm h-his Wielder."

The vulnerability in his voice made me fight down a snarky comment; at the same time it made me want to cry. "... you can kiss whoever you want." Why not me? "There's no rule against kissing Forcebearers." Why him?

It took him a while before he found the courage to say what was troubling him. "I d-didn't expect the o-others t-to react that w-way. N-nobody is l-looking me i-i-in the e-eye any more. They h-h-hate m-me f-for it."

The amount of stuttering alarmed me; even in the most distressing situations it had never been that bad. I sat up to get a good look at his face but he immediately turned away from me, hiding. "Nobody hates you, Soo," I said as soothingly as I could, my lips tingling at the unfamiliar feeling of his pet name. "Stop worrying over nothing and look at me."

His eyes were already reddened and watery when he turned back to meet my gaze and he was chewing anxiously on his lip. "I-I don't understand w-what's g-going on. Is i-it because I-I'm a Wielder? Or because w-we're both m-men? D-do they think I-I'm d-d-disgusting?"

I actually had a hard time not rolling my eyes in exasperation at that assumption but the tears that had started to overflow at the last question distracted me sufficiently. He had told me before that he had issues because of a rejection from a long lost love but I would have never guessed that they were still so deep rooted that he wasn't able to see just how much we all _adored_ him.

His tears tore me apart but I had no idea what to do to stop them. I hated consoling people; it was something I was extraordinarily bad at and I was probably the least suited out of all the Forcebearers to take care of our crying Wielder. Hesitantly I reached out and Jisoo immediately flung himself against my chest. I awkwardly patted his head while simultaneously wishing for Seokmin to magically appear. Or Seungcheol. Or anyone, really.

"Nobody thinks you're disgusting. We all like you a lot and you being in a relationship with a man won't change that."

_The jealousy that comes with it might, though._ I swallowed that sentence.

"But w-why is everyone l-like this then?" Teary eyes stared up at me and suddenly I had enough. Enough of the pretense, enough of the silence, enough of the feelings choking me and enough of his god damn cluelessness.

"Fucking hell, Jisoo; how can you be so freaking _dense_?!" He flinched at my outburst but ultimately kept eye contact, his fingers still grasping my shirt, mine still wrapped around his arms. I wanted to shake the naivety out of him but I also wanted to kiss his tear-stained face. "We are hurting because we are _in love_ with you." Speaking in plural was indefinitely more easy than confessing my own feelings - although the others probably wouldn't appreciate it. Tough luck. "And we're blocking our feelings because we don't want to put you in a tough spot. But of course Choi freaking Seungcheol had to royally fuck it up and now everything's a mess because everyone is a god damn jealous wreck." I exhaled angrily. "Well, except for Seokmin, to be fair," I finished after a short pause.

Jisoo looked completely lost, his eyes wide and filled with questions. "I-in love with me? All of you? With me?" he repeated and the pure bewilderment in his voice made me crack a smile - as if it was the most absurd thing he had ever heard in his life.

"Yep. You better get used to the jealousy if you still want to date my brother," I joked dryly, but the thought squeezed my heart. Jisoo only smiled sadly at my lame attempt to brighten the mood and remained quiet for several minutes until I reminded him that we had classes to attend.

 

-

 

Even after a fight, Chan and Jisoo had never been this awkward around each other before. It was obvious enough that even happy-go-lucky Soonyoung noticed that something was not the way it was supposed to be. When Jisoo had left to go to the bathroom during break time, he used the Wielder's absence to confront the Guardian who was quietly reading his notes. "So. What's the matter with the two of you? Did you break his favourite china or something?"

Chan looked up, face full of annoyance, and set down his pen. "Leave me alone. I don't wanna talk about it."

The other wasn't the least bit deterred by his bad mood and came even closer. "Is it a secret? I won't tell anyone, promise!" When Chan didn't answer, he poked him in the side, making him recoil. "Come on, come on, Channie; I'm so curious," he sang, his eyes twinkling excitedly.

The younger huffed but gave in after he had checked whether Jisoo was around. "There's nothing to talk about. He decided to date one of his Forcebearers and I don't like it."

Soonyoung's eyes went wide at the news. "Ooooh, which one? Why do you dislike it? Is he a dick?"

Chan' blushed slightly and coughed once before answering. "No, of course not; Seungcheol's a nice guy. I just don't like Jisoo dating in general. He's a bit naive; he might get taken advantage of."

"But you just said Seungcheol is nice. Why would he take advantage of him?" Soonyoung asked and cocked his head to show his confusion. "Or would _you_ prefer to date Jisoo instead?" he asked, a sly smile playing on his lips. The younger's cheeks reddened even more and he remained quiet while distractedly playing with his pen. "Oookay, I see. And now it's awkward because you told him? Wow, that's a bit of a shitty situation, isn't it? Will you keep living with him?"

This time it was Chan's turn to look confused. "Of course I will, why wouldn't I? I have nowhere else to go anyway."

"But won't it be hard on you to live with your crush and his lover? Imagine being around them at all times," Soonyoung mused and Chan cringed at the mental image.

"I guess. But I don't think there's much I can do; it's his decision after all and I want him to be happy."

Soonyoung had just opened his mouth to ask more questions when Jisoo returned and cut the conversation short. The Wielder didn't comment on the fact that Soonyoung had taken over his seat. Instead he quietly sat down next to Soonyoung, leaving him and Chan separated.


	31. Messages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sort of) double update, make sure to check out the other chapter before reading this one :)

As if it hadn't been a depressing enough day already, rain started pouring as soon as Jisoo, Soonyoung and Chan left the classroom to get lunch. Taking the chance, Jisoo told the others to go first already, while he would go and grab his umbrella from his locker.

As soon as the two students had turned around the nearest corner (after some weak protest from Chan), he speed-walked to the library to hide behind paper and rows of wooden shelves - like he always had whenever he had felt as if the world was collapsing.

 

Jisoo hurried along the familiar paths between the shelves, deeply inhaling the scent of old books which always calmed and comforted him. Slowing down, he followed one of the rows in the far back of the large hall. His favourite spot, the one where he had met Yongguk for the first time, was completely deserted. His bag made a dull sound when it was thoughtlessly dropped and Jisoo slumped down next to it, his back leaned against the bookshelf behind him. 

He remained in absolute motionlessness for a few seconds, only his chest kept moving. During the morning he had forced himself not to let his emotions show too much - but now, alone in his row in the library, he finally allowed himself the freedom to feel. The pain in his stomach, a remainder from his earlier talk with Jihoon, spread into his chest until it felt as if his heart was melting and he curled into himself for comfort.

Deep, hot shame filled him, drowning every thought. He had been ignorant of the feelings of his Forcebearers. Of his friends. Of the people he had thought he was closest with. Stupidly- no, arrogantly, he had assumed that he knew them just because he was able to catch glimpses of their feelings - but the morning alone had proven him wrong in every possible way.

 _Inept_. The word that was haunting him. 

Inept and useless, just like the people in his home town had whispered behind his back when he had found the dreaded key mark on his hip at his 18th birthday. A Wielder born from Forcebearers was just a second class Wielder after all; unable to understand his Bonded and unable to make them as happy as they deserved to be.

The shame he felt got only overshadowed by his guilt. It burned inside of him, in the pit of his stomach, and it made him sick to the core.

And love? He loved all of them dearly, even Minghao who he only saw two or three times a week, and Seokmin who had only been bonded for a day. But was his kind of love the same they felt for him? Were the romantic feelings he had felt during Seungcheol's confession just a spur of the moment thing caused by his excitement and the wish to be loved, not as a friend but as a partner?

He wasn't sure, and the uncertainty was fodder for the doubts that had festered in the back of his mind and in the deepest, darkest parts of his heart.

 

The silent squeaking of rubber soles on linoleum ripped Jisoo out of his misery and alarmed him of the presence of another student a few rows down the hall. Hastily he wiped his eyes and pulled a random book from the shelf behind him to look at least somewhat busy - and to hide his face.

As soon as he had parted the pages and lifted it up, a folded piece of paper tumbled into his lap.

He stared at it for a moment, numbly wondering what life had up its sleeve now, but curiosity won and he picked it up. The handwriting was unmistakable and he wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry at the Forcebearer's omnipresence. 

Scrawled beneath a row of numbers were the words " _Text me_ ".

Jisoo sighed and leaned back against the bookshelf. For a few moments he contemplated whether he actually wanted to talk to the Guardian or if it would make the whole situation even worse. Maybe he should just ignore the paper and go to the cafeteria - but the prospect of distraction was a welcome one, so he grabbed his bag and pulled out his phone. Chan's, Seungcheol's and Yongguk's names flashed on the screen, indicating missed calls. Unsure whether he could talk to them without breaking down once again, Jisoo ignored them and instead saved the number he had just received.

 

[13:16] Hong Jisoo: This is Jisoo. Are you free to talk?

[13:16] ?: yes~ how are you doing?

[13:17] Hong Jisoo: Not great, how are you and what should I save you as?

[13:17] ?: pretty good~ you shall call me the mysterious locker phantom

[13:18] Hong Jisoo: I'll stick to Clairvoyance Guardian, thank you. Why do you want to stay incognito?

[13:18] ?: you're no fun

[13:18] ?: but for real my wielder doesn't know i'm talking to you and it's probably better that way

[13:19] ?: just making sure

[13:19] Hong Jisoo: Is he attending this university, too?

[13:19] ?: no and enough about me

[13:19] ?: the others finally talked to you and now you're a mess but you know what?

[13:20] Hong Jisoo: What?

[13:20] ?: it'll get worse :D

 

Jisoo frowned at the smiley and contemplated once again to just put his phone away and maybe turn it off in the process.

 

[13:22] Hong Jisoo: You're not helpful, you know?

[13:22] ?: sorry~ i'm not good with people but i'm just trying to help

[13:23] Hong Jisoo: How will it get worse?

[13:23] ?: some will leave you

[13:23] ?: but new ones will come

 

Jisoo felt his heart drop at the news. The thought of any of his Bonded leaving was heart wrenching but imagining more than one person cancelling their contract made his whole body ache. The prospect of bonding new Forcebearers wasn't encouraging either - he wanted to keep his friends and not go through all the trouble again. Nobody could replace them anyway. With shaky fingers he started typing again.

 

[13:26] Hong Jisoo: Who is going to leave?

[13:27] ?: not gonna tell you it'll make you behave weirdly towards them

 

Jisoo swallowed dryly and rubbed his face.

 

[13:28] Hong Jisoo: Is there anything else you want to tell me?

[13:28] ?: i can't decide what i see and mostly my visions are short and confusing

[13:29] ?: i saw you crying after they left you but i also saw you laughing in a vision

[13:29] ?: another one was pretty bloody but i'm not sure who was bleeding might've just been the blood of a new bond

[13:29] ?: i'll text you if i know anything new

[13:30] Hong Jisoo: Thank you, I'm glad you're helping me even though I don't know why.

[13:30] ?: you'll repay me eventually ;)

 

A small smile pulled at the corner of Jisoo's lips when he set the phone down and climbed to his feet. It lit up once more as soon as he stood upright, rubbing his butt to soothe the pain from the hard floor.

 

[13:31] ?: someones excited to see you

 

Jisoo's confused "huh" got cut off by an audible gasp when a heavy weight tackled him and Yugyeom's tall body wrapped tightly around his. "Jisoo! There you are! Your friends are searching for you!"

After a short struggle for air and space, the Warrior took an apologetic step back while Jisoo tried to calm down his erratic heartbeat. "You scared me, stop doing that," he said in his sternest voice, immediately regretting it when Yugyeom pouted. "Uhm, never mind... who's searching for me? And where's Jackson?"

Yugyeom's face lit up once Jisoo patted his shoulder and he happily picked up the Wielder's bag to carry it. "Jackson is out of town for a week because of his sister's wedding but his parents only allowed one Warrior to join and he picked Mark instead of me." He looked quite disappointed for a moment. "And Chan asked if I've seen you so I just assumed that he was looking for you."

A pang of guilt hit Jisoo as soon as he remembered the missed call. "Oh shoot, I didn't tell him that I'd be gone for a bit. Do you know where he is?"

"Well, last time I saw him he was outside the cafeteria. Maybe you should call him?"

Jisoo only nodded and tapped his phone's screen while they walked towards the exit.

"Hyung, where are you? Why didn't you answer your phone?!" Chan was noticably upset and Jisoo's chest began to burn once more at his familiar voice. Would he leave him as well?

"I'm sorry, Channie. It was still set to silent and I'm in the library; I'll come to the cafeteria now."

Jisoo fidgeted when Chan took his sweet time to answer and Yugyeom sent him a worried look. "... Don't bother, I bought you a sandwich. I'll pick you up at the library."

"Uhm... okay? Are the others coming as well? Seungcheol and Yongguk tried to call me too."

"I asked them to but I'll tell them that you're okay. See you soon."

Chan had hung up the phone before the Wielder had a chance to answer. He sighed and slipped his phone back into his bag, while Yugyeom looked as if he was trying not to bother him with questions that undoubtedly waited to burst out of him.

"Just ask if you want to know something," Jisoo finally said when they arrived at the door, his slumped shoulders revealing how exhausted he felt.

"Did you fight? You're usually always together with at least one of them."

Jisoo sighed once again and rubbed his face, the pain in his chest intensifying. "Not really, it's just really complicated right now." He leaned back against the wall to wait for Chan and tiredly closed his eyes. "I don't think I'm a good Wielder," he quietly admitted after a pause.

Yugyeom's arm around his shoulders felt foreign due to the height difference between them, but the gesture helped to soothe his nerves a little nonetheless. "You shouldn't think that way, Jisoo-hyung." His expression and tone were unusually serious, not a trace left of the carefree young Warrior who enjoyed tackling people into hugs. "You're the kindest person I know, even most Guardians are less caring than you. It makes you different from other Wielders but definitely not in a bad way." Jisoo sent him a small but genuine smile and Yugyeom returned a wide happy one. "You're the best, never forget that! And I'll leave now before Chan gets angry again."

Jisoo laughed and nodded, the pain in his chest subsiding a little. "Thanks Yugyeom; I'm glad you found me."

 

It didn't take long for Chan to arrive after the Warrior had left. He didn't look particularly happy. "Are you okay? You cut off the connection to all of us and didn't answer the phone. I was worried," he stated, eyeing Jisoo closely.

"I needed a few minutes to myself, but I'm feeling better I guess. Where's Soonyoung?" the Wielder asked in hopes of steering the topic far away from his feelings.

"We kinda fought. He kept bugging me to visit his home to 'take my mind off of things'." Chan grimaced. "Seriously annoying. And he kept texting while talking to me, so I told him to leave me alone and play with his phone instead."

Jisoo raised an eyebrow at his Bonded, causing Chan to avoid his disapproving gaze. "Isn't it nice that he works so hard to be your friend?"

"I don't need any more friends; I have you and the others," the younger grumbled. "Oh, Yongguk and Youngjae went looking for you too because they were worried, but I think Himchan called them after I talked to you. Also I promised Jeonghan that we would meet up after class."

Soonyoung seemed to be a touchy subject for the Guardian so Jisoo let it go and accepted the change of topic. The fact that not only his Bonded but also the people from the group they usually had lunch with worried about him filled him with an odd mixture of guilt and happiness. Apparently he had more friends than he had thought.

 

Soonyoung hadn't attended the afternoon class and Chan looked rather guilty because of it, but since he had never bothered to get Soonyoung's number there was nothing he could do about it. Jeonghan, Seungcheol, Jihoon and Seokmin were already waiting when Jisoo and Chan stepped out of the building. While Seokmin smiled brightly and wrapped an arm around his Wielder's waist, the expressions of the three Warriors remained downcast and a feeling of dread began to spread in Jisoo's stomach. It only intensified when Jeonghan asked him to join the three brothers for a coffee and told the Guardians to go home first. Steeling himself, he nodded, glad that he already knew what was going to come but at the same time incredibly anxious because of it. The Guardians hesitated, feeling the tension in the air. Seokmin was searching his eyes while Chan watched the Warriors with obvious worry displayed on his face. Jisoo tried to look more confident than he felt for the sake of reassuring his Bonded, his emotions firmly in check and blocked off from the others. "See you later."

 

The coffee shop the brothers had chosen was the same shop Chan had waited in before they had had their first encounter with Jun and Hansol - and the memory alone was enough to make a lump appear in Jisoo's throat. Silently they sat around a small table in the corner, nobody willing to speak first.

Finally, Jisoo couldn't bear the pressure anymore. "What did you want to talk about?" To him his voice sounded foreign, too high and slightly strangled.

Jihoon cleared his throat. "There is something we need to tell you." He stopped to collect his thoughts. "You know we all lo- like you a lot and it's not-... there is-... we don't-" He stopped once again before he slammed his fist on the table. "Goddamn fucking hell! Why do I always have to do shit like this?! This was your fucking decision, Jeonghan; man the fuck up!"

The coffee shop had grown quiet at his outburst and Jisoo sent nervous smiles to the other customers until the noise had picked up again. He turned back towards Jihoon and Jeonghan, who were still glaring at each other.

"Okay. Fine." Jeonghan took a deep breath, his eyes fixated on his hands that were nervously playing with his straw. "Jihoon said that he already told you about our feelings. So. I love you and I want the best for you but I can't-" His voice broke. "You need to _understand_ ," he continued, pleading, and he finally dared to lift his head. Jisoo's stomach contracted when their eyes met and his grasp on the bonds almost slipped. "I. I just can't stay like this. I can't be bonded to you when you're with someone else. Or even when you're not with someone, the fact that you're not with me hurts so much. I know that sounds incredibly selfish but that's just how I am. I want- I _need_ to get out of the contract; please don't force me to stay like this."

Although Jisoo had prepared himself, it still hurt as if a knife had been driven straight into his heart - and seeing Jeonghan's tears only made it worse. "O-of course I won't force you," he assured, trying to remain as calm as he possibly could, "I would p-probably do the same in your position. B-but can we please cancel the contract at ho- at your place? I d-don't want to do it in public."

Jeonghan looked relieved but regretful and he started avoiding his eyes once again. "There's something else."

"Yes?"

"Jihoon and Seungcheol... they said they'd do the same," Jeonghan said very quickly, as if it would hurt less that way.

Jisoo silently looked at the two other Warriors but not even Jihoon could hold his gaze this time. Seungcheol spoke up after a few moments of tense silence, his voice soft but determined. "Please don't misunderstand, Jisoo. I love you. I really do. But my brothers and I, we've been together for so long; we can't imagine not being a team anymore. I can't leave my brothers behind and they don't want me to leave them either. So if they go, I need to go too."

Jisoo felt his world crumbling at those words. He had mentally prepared himself for Jeonghan to leave, maybe Jihoon too, but Seungcheol was an unexpected blow that hit him hard. "I understand. I'll visit you later and we'll cancel the contracts. And we need to talk about whether the others can keep staying at your place," he said mechanically, his voice toneless. Seungcheol opened his mouth once again but the Wielder lifted a hand to silence him. "I'll go first; I need to be alone for a while."

With those words he got up and left the three Warriors behind, together with his untouched mug of coffee.

 

The rain had stopped a few hours ago but the sky was still overcast and grey, the gloomy light of the afternoon slowly dimming. Jisoo wandered along the familiar streets around his university, passing the park where Seungcheol and he had eaten ice cream together and the crossing where Seokmin and Kangin had gotten into the fight with Chaerin.

Everything was filled with memories and every single one of them hurt.

When he had brought enough physical distance between himself and his Forcebearers, he sat down on a lonely bench at the corner of a small, run-down playground. It was completely deserted, only a dirty rabbit rag-doll kept Jisoo company. He picked it up from the ground and placed it on his lap, ignoring the mud it left on his pants.

His phone beeped in his pocket, indicating a new message.

 

[17:54] ?: don't cry :(

 


	32. At fault

Jisoo's mother had always told him that there was no reason to hate the key mark on his hip. Many Forcebearers yearned for the freedom and possibilities that he had been granted and would give everything to change their fate - but not Jisoo. Although he loved his mother dearly and valued all the advice she had given him throughout the years, for once he had to disagree.

When the mark had appeared almost five years ago, it had abruptly taken away the prospect of a secure future together with his parents and their Wielder. It had further ripped him out of his old life when the few friends he had made in school had started to avoid him after bonding with Wielders who had eyed him with obvious distrust and poorly disguised contempt.

In the beginning it had been mere dislike he had felt towards the little key on his hip, but the dislike had grown into resentment over time, festering in his heart, breaking through his barriers on lonely nights when he had sat alone in his shabby flat in Daegu after another long day of fruitless job-hunting and denied opportunities.

It had been so very hard to stay positive when he had to endure the profanities people were whispering behind his back - and of course he had known the rumours that had been floating around; after all he was neither deaf nor dumb. Nasty rumours about his mother and himself, the Wielder born by Forcebearers, the freak. While he had managed to mostly ignore the words directed at him, every insult towards his loving mother had torn at his heart.

After four long years, he had fled. Leaving behind everything he had known so far, he had arrived in Seoul with nothing but his suitcase, a key for his new flat, and hope for a happier future.

But even in the busy capital, his mark in combination with his shy nature had made it hard for him to fit in and so the resentment had kept growing into something even darker - until he had met Chan. Before meeting the younger, the thought to use his mark to help people had never crossed his mind since he had been too preoccupied with the negative aspects of being a Wielder to actually appreciate the possibilities given to him like his mother had suggested. But with each contract he had formed, each friend he had made, and each life he had improved, he came to like his mark more. The people who accepted him for who he was had helped him to finally accept himself.

However, now everything was falling apart, and the resentment he had felt before returned with vengeance - amplified, brooding and dark.

If he could exchange his key for the mark of a Forcebearer, he would do so in a heartbeat.

 

-

 

This was definitely the most anxious I had ever been in my whole life and hell, there were a lot of moments that had put me on edge before. Not even getting punished by my former Wielder had freaked me out as much as the current situation and that was saying something. And the others were not exactly helping me calm down. The opposite, actually.

Chan was striding up and down the room like a caged animal and Minghao was tapping his fingers against the couch in an irritating rhythm that made me want to punch his annoying face. At least Seokmin and Jun were sitting somewhat calm next to me; the only reason I hadn't lost my head yet. I hated bad news and I hated them even more if I had to be the bearer. My fingers twitched in my lap when I thought about what I was going to say and I could feel cold sweat forming on my brow. As always, Jun somehow knew what I was thinking and his hand found my fingers in seconds - although it didn't help much, his fingers were even colder than mine.

We were all waiting for Jisoo to return from university and it made me incredibly restless that he wasn't here yet. Seokmin had said that he was getting coffee with the other guys and I couldn't think of a worse timing for something as unnecessary as a hot drink. There was an expensive coffee machine in the kitchen, for fuck's sake.

But on the other hand, he was probably stressed too after all the bad vibes this morning, so I couldn't really blame him. Not that I ever would anyway, he was Jisoo after all. Jun raised an eyebrow at me when he noticed my smile but I only shook my head in response. Too embarrassing to say it out loud and the other Forcebearers probably wouldn't like it either.

Once again I tried to connect with Jisoo - it bothered me that I hadn't been able to feel him throughout the day since it was unusual for him to cut us off - but it was like trying to walk though a brickwall and I gave up with an annoyed sigh. I hadn't known that he had gotten this good at controlling the bonds. Usually it was us who stopped our feelings before they could reach him and I hated the hole in my chest where his emotions should be. But I probably would have to get used to it.

My heart jumped into my throat when the front door opened and I looked up to greet my Wielder. His appearance hit me like a truck and, just like the others, I got up immediately to run over - but after a few steps I stopped myself. My brother did the same next to me.

Jisoo was pale. Not his usual creamy paleness but deathly pale in a way that made the shadows below his eyes stand out. Somehow it made him look much younger than he was which only got reinforced by an ugly rag-doll he was holding - was it a bunny? It was hard to make out through his tightly clenched fingers.

Chan had pulled off Jisoo's parka and Minghao had wrapped a blanket around his shaking shoulders while Seokmin had vanished towards the kitchen. I was itching to get closer too, to pester him with questions and to hug him until he stopped looking like a freaking ghost, but I forced myself to stand back when Minghao led Jisoo to the sofa and told him to sit. It was better that way.

"What happened, hyung?" Chan sounded as if he was close to tears and he definitely wasn't the only one. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I wouldn't cry. I had sworn myself that I wouldn't.

Instead of answering the question, Jisoo began to fiddle with the doll, his fingers sliding over the dirty fabric in an erratic rhythm. "A-are the others back a-already?"

"Not yet, I thought they're with you?" I jumped at the unexpected sound of Seokmin's voice but he simply passed me and set down a cup of hot tea in front of our Wielder.

Tense silence filled the air while we Forcebearers stood around uselessly and our Wielder kept playing with the doll, his eyes never leaving his hands. I was contemplating what to say when Minghao beat me to it - fortunately. "What's the matter, Jisoo? Come on, talk to us."

Jisoo still refused to look up and I held my breath to hear his quiet answer. "W-we're cancelling t-their contracts."

I felt my soul leave my body at his words and while the others assaulted him with questions, I shared a look with my brother. He had turned pale at the news and I was pretty sure I looked the same, judging by my shaking hands. "Are you- are we still gonna do it?" he asked, his voice almost inaudible over the ruckus.

"There's no other option." My reply left a horrible aftertaste in my mouth and I hated the broken look in Jun's eyes when he nodded. What was I doing to my brother? What was I doing to my Wielder? Was there really no other way?

I had zoned out long enough to miss most of the actual conversation but I got harshly pulled back into reality when Jisoo started to cry, tears dripping down his chin and onto the doll he still held in an iron grip. Fuck.

Chan was next to him on the couch in seconds, together with Seokmin and even Minghao kneeled down in front of him. I felt like the biggest asshole for not doing anything, but it would just make it harder for all of us afterwards if I followed my impulses now.

"I-I won't blame you if you want to leave t-too; just tell me." His voice was so shaky, he was hard to understand, but the efforts of the others seemed to have helped a little and at least he wasn't crying anymore, though he had started rubbing the doll once again. The topic itself made me extremely uncomfortable and judging by my brother's face, he felt the same way.

"Of course not, hyung. I don't care what you do; I won't leave you as long as you want to keep me," Chan declared passionately, Minghao nodding along. My stomach clenched. Pledges of loyalty, great. "I don't have anywhere to go anyway," the boy silently added as an afterthought and Seokmin squeezed his hand to comfort him.

Minghao simply shrugged with an easy-going grin. "You pretty much saved my life; I still need to repay you. Until then I won't leave you alone." Jisoo cracked a small smile at his lighthearted tone but I felt even worse. He had saved us as well.

"You're my best friend; of course I won't leave you." Seokmin kept rubbing Chan's hand while speaking but his eyes were focused on Jisoo before they moved to me and my brother. The others followed his gaze and we were caught right in the spotlight.

This was going so much worse than I had hoped for. I had imagined some alone-time with Jisoo, maybe together with Jun, and in that scene our Wielder had been smiling since he had just scored himself a boyfriend. But now said boyfriend seemed to have decided that he needed to leave together with his brothers - what the actual fuck, Seungcheol? - and it made us look like major assholes for having the same plan.

I played with a string of loose yarn from my worn-out hoodie and avoided eye-contact. I knew I only made it worse by staying quiet but it was pretty fucking scary to actually speak the words out loud that I needed to say. It would make it real and irreversible and the thought choked me.

After a pause that seemed to stretch for several millennia, I finally forced myself to speak, my eyes firmly focused on the doll in Jisoo's hands. "I'm the problem." I took a deep breath and ignored my brother's muttered protest. "Jun wants to stay 'cause he has feelings for you and 'cause you saved his life but I'm different and I can't handle the situation. You're an amazing person, Jisoo, but I can't imagine having a Wielder I'm in love with; 'specially not if my brother's in love with him too. I don't wanna risk losing Jun over a fight or something. I'm so sorry." I wasn't sure if the word vomit I had just blurted out had made any sense; I was too busy forcing myself not to cry. A wild mixture of relief and regret filled me; relief about finally being able to speak at least some of the thoughts that had kept bothering me, and regret because I was hurting the two people I loved the most. And myself.

The silence that answered scared me but I was too much of a wimp to face Jisoo head on, so I kept staring at the doll instead.

"I understand." The lack of emotion in Jisoo's voice was definitely more terrifying than his silence and if I had to choose, I'd probably pick the crying Wielder from earlier over this one. "So you will leave as well?" he asked tonelessly and I glanced over to my brother who looked completely distraught.

"Yes," he answered after clearing his throat twice, "it's too dangerous for Hansol alone."

"But where will you go?" Chan's voice was trembling and it made my eyes sting even more. "You don't have a place to stay."

Fair point. We had discussed this question multiple times throughout the morning but hadn't really come to a conclusion other than the obvious. "Back on the streets, I guess." I hated the way my voice was breaking. I was giving up my love, my friends and my home because I was scared and I hated myself for it - but I knew it was for the best. "Maybe we'll leave the country; it's probably saf-". I got cut off by the sound of the front door opening.

Everything seemed to freeze for a few seconds before Jihoon took the first tentative step into his flat, followed by Jeonghan and Seungcheol. I noticed that Jisoo's eyes immediately returned to his doll as if he wasn't able to bear the sight of his Warriors. And once again, I couldn't blame him.

"Uhm... hi. We talked about what you said in the coffee shop before- you know, and we don't mind the guys staying if they're okay with it." Jeonghan tried hard to sound like his usual confident, chipper self, but even I noticed the tremble in his voice. The idea of staying made my heart leap but I tried to smother the excitement. That wasn't part of the plan.

"That's great since those two just decided to become homeless." Seokmin's voice was sharper than a knife. I only knew him as either calm or cheerful from the times he had visited the flat and the change was scary as hell. Jisoo remained quiet but his shaking fingers were twisting the limbs of the doll into unnatural positions.

"What?! Why?" Jihoon's exasperation was almost tangible and the thought of explaining the situation to my former host made me sweat. Jun had always been the one who had gotten along better with Jihoon and Jeonghan while I had usually either tried to stay out of their way or fought with them.

To my surprise, it was Jisoo who eventually spoke, his voice still weirdly empty. "They are cancelling their contracts as well. We should probably get started; it's getting late." He began tugging at the long ears of the doll when nobody answered and the sudden violent sound of fabric ripping made everyone wince. The lost expression on his face when he looked at the pieces of his doll was painful to watch and I hated that I was one of the reasons why he behaved that way.

Seokmin gently pried Jisoo's hands off the doll and laid it next to him on the couch before he entwined their fingers. Minghao had gotten up and sat down next to Chan, who looked unsure how to handle the situation and opted for wrapping his arms around Jisoo's waist.

I envied them. But this had been my decision.

"Jisoo is right; we should probably get started," Jeonghan said after a moment of silence and I glanced over to the three Warriors. Even Jihoon looked sad, the first time I had seen him that way. "Should we- uhm... do we just sit in front of the sofa? Do you need skin contact?"

The emotions struck me like a lightning bolt, the impact so strong that I stumbled half a step back. Jun next to me flinched and bit his lip hard enough for it to start bleeding. Jisoo's grip on his bonds had slipped for a second at most but it was enough for me to want to bury myself alive. Of course I knew that he was in pain because we were leaving but I hadn't known that it was that bad. In the whole time we had been bonded, he had never felt so many negative emotions, not even when he had gotten chased by Jaesang and his lackeys.

Everyone was visibly shaken by the experience but Jisoo made us focus back on him when he answered, this time fortunately in his regular tone. "I-it's okay. Just s-sit and I'll do t-the rest."

It was obvious that nobody wanted to be first, but after a moment I stepped forward although I was freaking terrified. I hadn't been all too sure whether I was doing the right thing to begin with and Jisoo's slip-up just now had only worsened my doubts. The fact that Jun wanted to stay didn't help either since, usually, he was the more reasonable one - but it was just like I had said earlier: I couldn't stay with a Wielder I loved.

Of course I had respected Jisoo from the beginning, but back then I hadn't cared as much whether it was dangerous to be bonded with us since our advantages were undeniable. But the more I cared about him, the more I hated the thought of something happening to him because of our past. And of course he had gotten mixed up with all the wrong people, not only once but multiple times, and it scared the hell out of me. Maybe with Minghao as an exception, none of the others were aware just how terrifying the Organisation really was - and it was probably better that way, otherwise they would've kicked us out long ago. Jisoo had gotten lucky so far, very lucky, to escape three times without any consequences. But if they ever found out that he was our Wielder, they wouldn't just knock him out to get us - they'd torture him to death as payback and I. Couldn't. Fucking. Risk. That.

Yeah, it had hurt like a bitch to find out that he was falling for Seungcheol, and yeah, the fact that my brother liked him too was pretty scary, but both seemed like jokes in comparison to the actual problem. The relationship with Seungcheol had been the best excuse to get out without actually telling Jisoo how dangerous the current situation really was - because that was one thing Jun and I agreed on: He wouldn't let us leave if he knew; it was Jisoo we were talking about after all.

I finally dared to look Jisoo in the eyes and I could see the same sadness and fear I was feeling - but the thought of him living a long and happy life helped me pull through, so I tried to smile when I sat down in front of him. His eyes watered slightly before he closed them and I once again swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I didn't wanna leave. I was scared.

Using the chance, I examined his face as closely as I could, trying to burn every little detail into my memory. The two little moles on his cheek had always been my favourite part of his face and every time he had visited at night, I had stopped myself from touching them. The thought that I'd never be able to sleep next to him again hurt.

Our bond seemed to waver slightly in my chest while it grew warmer with each passing second and I fought with everything I got against the urge to stop him, to take everything I had said back, to hug him, to kiss him - and then it was gone, just like that. 

The cold emptiness came so suddenly that I winced, goosebumps appearing on my skin. Jisoo's warm presence was gone and it was the worst feeling I had ever experienced in my life. This time I couldn't stop the tears.

 

-

 

Neither Jisoo nor Chan had spoken a word on their way to Jisoo's apartment and it stayed that way until they laid in bed half an hour later. The horrible, hollow feeling in Jisoo's chest where the contracts should be had not gotten any better; it was like a wound on his soul, oozing loneliness.

"Do you hate them?" Chan's voice made him jump after the long silence but he still took his time to think about the question.

"No. No, I'm sad and exhausted but I could never hate them," he finally answered.

"I do," rang the younger's angry voice in the darkness, "selfish bastards. They can go to hell and rot there. I hate them all; I'm glad they're gone. We don't need them! We're all better off withou-". The rest of his sentence was smothered by Jisoo's chest and the Guardian immediately buried his face in it, tears drenching the Wielder's shirt. Jisoo hugged him tightly, his fingers running through his soft hair, drawing soothing circles onto his temples while the younger let out all his pain and anger.

Jisoo's heart stung at the thought that, once again, he had been too preoccupied with his own pain to consider how it would affect the other members of his little group of friends. Minghao had been quite close with Jun lately and Seokmin was good friends with Seungcheol, although he liked to call Jisoo his 'bestie'. Chan was probably the most affected apart from Jisoo himself since he had known the others just as long – and in case of Jeonghan even longer. And although the younger had always complained about Jeonghan's motherly affection, Jisoo knew that he secretly had basked in the attention and love he had never gotten from his actual parents. They hadn't made any further arrangements yet apart from Seokmin deciding to stay in Jihoon's flat and the Wielder sincerely hoped that Chan would be forgiving enough to at least visit once in a while, to keep up his friendship with Jeonghan.

When the younger's tears had dried, he snuggled even closer, his nose pressed into the crook of Jisoo's neck - his favourite spot - and the Wielder kept wordlessly stroking his back, thoughts wandering in the inky darkness. He tried to distract himself by focusing on positive aspects, although he couldn't come up with many, but the warm bonds of Chan, Seokmin and Minghao provided him comfort. As long as he didn't think about the five missing bonds, he was okay, he told himself.

 

Chan's lips tickled his collar bone when his voice broke the silence once again. "We'll be okay."

"Yes. I hope so." Jisoo sounded more forlorn than he wanted to admit. "I'm worried about the others, though."

"They were fine without you before, don't worry."

"Hansol and Jun weren't."

Hot breath hit the Wielder's throat when Chan scoffed. "Do you think you're our saviour or something? Do you think we need you to survive?" The venomous words burned and Jisoo stiffened in his attempt to suppress the pain. He held Chan even tighter but the younger struggled against his grip and lifted his head, his face barely visible in the darkness of the room.

"Nobody needs you, hyung; you're the one who needs us."

"Why are you like this, Channie? Did I do something wrong?" Jisoo whispered, his voice breaking at the end of his question. He tried to pull Chan closer again but the Guardian squirmed out of his hold and got up from the bed, moving out of his reach. Jisoo sat up as well, his heart beating in a painful rhythm that was all too familiar by now.

"We don't need you," the younger repeated, his voice filled with contempt and his face shrouded by shadows, "you're useless anyway."

The Wielder couldn't suppress a whimper at his words. It hurt too much to hear his own poisonous thoughts spoken out loud.

"You're weak. Pathetic. A disgrace to all Wielders." Chan's frame had grown taller and Seokmin's voice was ringing in Jisoo's ears.

"Who'd want someone like you as a Wielder anyway?" Minghao's voice snarled out of the darkness to his left.

Jisoo wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. Fighting to keep the tears at bay and to not fall apart, he curled into himself.

"You can't even protect yourself; how could you possibly protect us?"

"Useless."

"Look at what happened. It's your fault."

The lights turned on and he was in the alleyway on his way home from the supermarket. His groceries laid scattered around his feet and Chan stood in front of him, facing Jaesang and his thugs. One of them reached out and Jisoo anticipated the moment the younger would fling the much bigger man over his shoulder - but it never came and scruffy hands closed around Chan's throat, who fell to his knees.

The scene flashed and he was in another dimly lit street, still with Jaesang but this time it was Jihoon in front of him. His eyes were immediately drawn to the shimmering gun in Jaesang's hand, directed at the Warrior's head. "Oh god, Jihoon, step ba-" The other Wielder laughed maniacally and pressed the trigger, the flash of the muzzle blinding.

When Jisoo was able to see again, he found himself sitting next to Minghao and Yongguk, both of them barely recognizable through the burns littering their bodies. Daesung stepped closer, a sickening smile dancing on his lips, and Taeyang began to gather light for his final blow.

Another flash and Seokmin was screaming on the ground, deep gashes littering his skin, Kangin and Chaerin staring down at him without any emotion.

Another flash and Chan was twitching in Yugyeom's electrocuting hold, Jackson laughing in the background.

Another flash and Jun laid on his sofa, unmoving and cold, his clothes soaked in blood which had already formed small puddles on the floor.

Another flash and Hansol's dead eyes stared at him, filled with accusations and pain.

Jisoo screamed.

 

"...ng! Hyung! You need to wake up, please stop!" Jisoo fought against the grip on his arms with everything he got until a rather harsh slap on the cheek shook him out of his hysteria. "Can you hear me? Hyung?" He looked around, still disoriented, but he recognized Chan in front of him who looked incredibly worried in the yellow light of his bedside lamp.

"Chan? Oh god, you're okay; I'm so glad." Before the younger had the chance to ask what was going on, he got engulfed in a hug so tight he had trouble breathing properly. "I thought you died. I thought you got killed because of me. It's all my fault, I'm so sorry, please don't leave me, I'll get better, I'll work harder..." Jisoo continued rambling into Chan's hair, a string of apologies and incoherent words, until the younger forcibly fought his way out of his grip and stopped him with a finger on his trembling lips.

"I'm here and nobody died. I'm not leaving you and the others won't either. You had a nightmare; it wasn't real, hyung. And there's no need to apologize or to 'get better', you're already the best anyway. Take a deep breath." Jisoo let his words sink in and followed the instruction, their bond in his chest flooding him with love and concern while he slowly calmed down.

 

He enjoyed the feeling of Chan's fingertips massaging his scalp while listening to the calming heartbeat of his Guardian, a steady, reliable rhythm that lulled him back to sleep. He had just began to drift off, content for the first time since everything had started falling apart, when the doorbell rang and startled him awake. Chan had jumped at the sudden noise as well, his fingers still tangled in Jisoo's dark hair. "What the heck, it's like 3am," he mumbled, trying to make out his phone in the darkness to check the time. "Should we open?"

Jun's unconscious face flashed before Jisoo's eyes and he was out of bed before Chan could say anything else. "Hyung, wait! It could be dangerous!" Scrambling to his feet as well, the younger hurried after his Wielder who had already vanished into the living room. He reached him just in time to prevent him from opening the front door and placed himself firmly in front of it, arms crossed. "Stop being so reckless! You can't just open the door for anyone."

Although it stung in his chest, Jisoo smiled at how much Chan reminded him of Jeonghan and his motherly protectiveness. "It could be an emergency, Channie, like back then with Jun. Please let me open the door?"

Chan's resolute stance faltered slightly and he seemed to contemplate the odds for a moment, before he nodded and stepped aside. Jisoo finally unlocked the door and opened it quickly - his heart almost exploded at the sight of two figures in the dark. But this time they both stood upright and as soon as the light from Jisoo's flat hit them, he calmed down in a weird mixture of relief and disappointment. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you okay? We could feel that you were scared but we couldn't reach you on the phone." Seokmin's expression showed his concern while Minghao looked relieved that the Wielder was safe.

Jisoo blushed at the scrutinizing stares from his Forcebearers and rubbed his neck as he led them inside. "I'm fine, just a nightmare. Sorry about that; my phone is in the kitchen and I think it's still set to silent. Did you come together?"

"No, we ran into each other outside your building. Seems like we both couldn't sleep."

The Forcebearers had gotten rid of their jackets by now and the light of the living room revealed that Seokmin was wearing his shirt inside-out while Minghao's red hair was even more of a mess than usual. Both of them smiled when they felt gratefulness seeping through their bonds, Minghao a bit bashfully. Mumbling something about tea, he fled into the kitchen.

Jisoo sat down on the couch and yawned, the lack of proper sleep slowly taking its toll. He jumped slightly when someone plonked down next to him and a warm arm wrapped around his shoulders. The tingly feeling Jisoo had come to associate with Seokmin's ability washed through his body and he relaxed into his Guardian's side. A short time later, the worn-out cushions sank even more after another body had slumped down on them, and the familiar smell of fire and sweetness filled the Wielder's nose when Minghao's dexterous fingers began to massage his hand.

"I thought you're making tea?" Seokmin sounded amused.

"Chan's making it; I couldn't find the tea bags."

"You're just lazy."

"Oy."

"Move over; I want to sit too." Jisoo looked up at the sound of Chan's grumpy voice and found the youngest standing in front of him and Minghao, who raised an unimpressed eyebrow in response and nodded towards the empty space on his free side. For a moment it seemed like Chan wanted to argue for his right to be next to the Wielder, but after a short glance at Jisoo he pouted and wordlessly sat down after placing the mugs he had been carrying on the coffee table.

"I've got something for you." Seokmin broke the comfortable silence a few minutes later and handed the Wielder his bag. "Look inside."

"Wow, when did you even find the time to do that?" Chan asked, clearly impressed.

"Well, I couldn't sleep, so I thought why not use the time? Do you want to keep it, Jisoo? I wasn't sure whether you'd like it."

"Of course I do!" Jisoo held the little rabbit doll into the light to admire all the details. "Did you wash it too? It looks so different."

"Fixed it, cleaned it, dried it. I'm a healer after all," Seokmin said, his usual sunny grin in full force, and Jisoo smiled while he placed the doll on his lap and leaned back against Minghao's shoulder.

"Are you feeling better now?" the redhead asked after he had taken a long sip of his tea.

"Yes, I'm feeling pretty good," Jisoo answered with a content smile, the remaining bonds softly warming his chest and filling the empty space the others had left.


	33. Conversations

"Lee Manor, Hong Minkyoung speaking?"

"Hi mom, are you free to talk?"

"Oh, Jisoo! Sure, dear; I'll just go to my room. One moment."

Jisoo toyed with the pens on his desk while he waited, listening to the quiet footsteps of his mother and the voices in his living room. He jumped when Minghao suddenly started cheering and grinned at the muffled protests of Chan and Seokmin. Who would have thought that they would enjoy playing his old boardgames?

"How are you, love?" His mother's melodic voice pulled his attention back to the phone.

"I'm fine, what about you and dad? How's Master doing?" As soon as the words had left his mouth, he bit his lip. He could feel his mother's disapproval in the way she stayed quiet for just a tad too long.

"It's been five years; you really need to stop, Jisoo."

"Sorry... I'm just so used to it. It feels weird to call him 'Mister Lee'."

His mother sighed and let the topic go; they had talked about it multiple times already anyway. "He's doing fine and your father is too. I still have some back problems but it's nothing I can't handle. How are your Forcebearers?"

Jisoo's stomach dropped at the choice of topic and he took a deep breath before answering. "I think Chan's getting better. I told you he took it pretty badly, but he's been smiling more recently and he even visited Seokmin to borrow some books."

"Did he talk to the others while he was there?"

"Well, if he did, he didn't tell me but he can be a bit stubborn at times, so I don't think he did. Also he still completely ignores them at university."

"I see. What about Seokmin and the handsome Chinese boy? Minhao?"

"Minghao. They're doing fine as far as I know. Seokmin gets along well with all of us and he's probably the only one who's not awkward around anyone and Minghao, well, he usually pretends to be tough but I think he's really worried about Jun and Hansol."

His mother stayed quiet for a moment. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"No, they've completely vanished ever since _that_ day." Jisoo swallowed hard and took another deep breath. "I'm worried, too..." His voice broke.

"Don't cry, dear, they'll be fine. You said the Clairvoyance Guardian promised to call if they'd get in trouble, right?"

"But what if he misses something? Clairvoyance is such an unpredictable ability."

"You can't do anything but trust him and trust your friends that they know what they're doing. From what you've told me, they have quite a bit of experience."

"But last time Jun got hurt..."

"I know it's hard for you, dear, but I can't predict the future and neither can you, so you should focus on the present and make the best of it." His mother's tone was soothing but final.

"Yes, mom..."

Silence was the only thing he heard for a few seconds before his mother started talking again, her voice a bit more cheerful this time around. "How's university? Is it still awkward?"

Jisoo groaned and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Yes. But it's not as bad anymore," he admitted. "Himchan and Soonyoung wouldn't stop asking about what had happened but Chan and Daehyun told them off when they overheard."

"Daehyun is your Wielder-friend, right?"

"Don't call him that, mom; he's a friend just like the others," Jisoo complained and his mother's giggles rang through the line, making him smile.

"Sorry, dear. Okay. So they stopped the two from pestering you?"

"Yes. I think Seokmin explained it to them though; they didn't try asking anymore afterwards."

"Seokmin sounds like a great guy; I really hope I can meet him someday. Wouldn't he be perfect son-in-law material?"

Jisoo flushed beet red at that thought and tried to get heard over his mother's laughter. "Mom! Stop, he's my best friend!"

"Yes, yes, I know." She calmed herself a little. "So how are you dealing with seeing your former Forcebearers at university?"

"Hm, I try to act as normal as possible but it's really hard sometimes, especially with Seungcheol." He couldn't suppress a low sigh. "Jeonghan doesn't attend classes often and the other two keep their distance to the rest of us."

"Why is he not attending classes?"

"Seokmin said that his parents are trying to get him to take over his father's business after university and he's going to meetings and stuff. And he's probably trying to avoid me." Jisoo's voice had turned even more depressed at the last sentence.

"Don't take it to heart, love. It's hard for them as well; don't forget that. Everyone copes in their own way and I'm proud of you that you're still working hard."

"The guys help me a lot," Jisoo admitted with a small smile. "When I met Seungcheol and Jihoon in class after the cancellation, Seokmin held my hand the whole time and Chan picked me up afterwards together with Soonyoung. And Minghao always waits in front of my door when I'm coming home; I should probably get him some spare keys soon."

"They sound like amazing friends. I'm so happy for you. Are you thinking about forming a contract with Soonyoung? You seem to see each other quite often."

"I think he has a Wielder already; he just doesn't talk much about it. Also I don't know if I want to form any more contracts..."

"Do what you're most comfortable with but don't let your experiences influence your decisions too much."

Jisoo started doodling unhappy faces on his notepad. "I'll try..."

"Did you already decide wh-"

The door to his room got flung open and Minghao waltzed in. "Do you have a pen? We can't- whoops! Sorry, I didn't know you're on the phone."

"You really need to learn how to knock." Jisoo aimed his pen at him after he had somewhat recovered from the scare but Minghao expertly caught it and twirled it between his fingers with a cheeky grin. He threw him a wink and a peace sign before he went back into the living room, closing the door behind him. Shaking his head, the Wielder returned to the call. "Sorry mom, what were you saying?"

His mother laughed in response to his weary tone. "Was that Chan?"

"No, Minghao. Chan actually has learned to knock by now but Minghao is almost as bad as Hansol." His heart clenched and he quickly tried to steer away from the topic. "You wanted to ask something?"

"Ah, yes. I was wondering if you've already decided where to spend your holidays? The semester is ending in a few weeks, right?"

"I haven't made any plans yet but I think I'll just stay here. I don't want to leave Chan alone in my flat and Minghao has to work, so he wouldn't be able to join."

"Is he still working as a barista?"

"Yes, he pretty much gave up on being a street artist after he got attacked. To be honest, I'm glad about it. He's incredible though; he sometimes shows his tricks when he wants to entertain us."

"Take care of yourself. It's really scary to imagine that people just randomly get attacked in Seoul. Please keep your Forcebearers close when you go out at night."

Jisoo blushed at the white lie he had told his mother and tried hard to keep his tell-tale stutter at bay. "Of course, mom."

Muffled voices got audible at the end of the line and he patiently waited until his mother returned. "Dear, do you want to speak to Master Lee for a moment?"

"Yes, sure." He heard rustling and then the sonorous voice of his parents' Wielder filled him with bittersweet memories of days long past.

"Jisoo. How have you been?"

"Good evening, Mr. Lee. I've been doing fine; how are you, Sir?"

"Not bad so far. I've heard that you finally got yourself some contracts?"

"Yes, Sir. I have three now." Another sting in his heart.

"I trust you to take good care of them, Jisoo; you've always been an exceptional person when it comes to treating others well and it's great that you've decided to embrace your status after all."

Jisoo smiled proudly at the warm words, his cheeks tinted red. "Thank you, Master- uh, Sir. I'm sorry." He flushed even more, this time out of embarrassment, but the other Wielder only laughed about his mistake.

"Still a bit caught up in the past, aren't you?"

"I'm getting better but it's hard sometimes," Jisoo admitted sheepishly.

"I believe that you'll do just fine as a Wielder. Tell me more about your Forcebearers, how did you meet them and what abilities do they have?"

"Uhm, by accident mostly. They were in trouble and I tried to help and somehow we ended up in contracts. Their abilities are Nullification, Healing and Telekinesis."

Silence buzzed through the line for a few long seconds and Jisoo had just opened his mouth to ask if the other was still connected when the older Wielder spoke in an unusually sharp tone. "Jisoo, are you aware how dangerous it is to bond with three of the Others? If that gets out, your life could be in danger."

Jisoo began to fiddle with his notepad once again, uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken. "Yes, I know, Sir. B-but they're important to me, so I won't give up on them even if it's dangerous."

Another short pause followed until the older Wielder broke it with a sigh. "That's a noble thing to do and I didn't expect anything less from you, but please take care of yourself. Your parents would be devastated if something were to happen to you. If you have any questions or need advice regarding Wielders or Forcebearers, please don't hesitate to call; I'll try to help you as best as I can. I'll hand you back to your mother now. Have a good evening, Jisoo."

"Thank you Sir, I appreciate your concern and I'll make sure to be careful. Have a good evening as well."

After a few moments of rustling, his mother's voice reached his ear once again. "Why did he look so concerned? Did you say something to him?"

"I told him the ranks of my Forcebearers."

"Ah, no wonder he's worried. He really likes you a lot, you know? I'm worried too, to be honest, but I think you can handle it. Just don't tell anyone else about it, will you?"

"Of course not, mom, don't worry. The guys are careful too, nothing will happen."

His mother sighed audibly and Jisoo felt bad for troubling her.

"I need to prepare tomorrows breakfast now but thank you for calling. I'm really glad that you're feeling better, love. I was so worried after your last call; I don't think I've ever heard you cry that much before. It's good to know that you're feeling better."

"Sorry for making you worry and thanks for always giving me advice. Love you, greetings to dad."

"Love you too, dear. Stay safe."

 

The living room was an active war zone when Jisoo returned; colourful tokens were scattered everywhere and the two Guardians were busy chasing Minghao around the coffee table, who triumphantly held a piece of paper with the score.

"You got rid of one of the tokens, you dirty cheater! Admit it!" Chan attempted a tackle but the Warrior dodged him with ease and the younger landed on the sofa in a heap.

"I won fair and square; its not my fault that you both suck!" Minghao scrambled towards the corner of the room when Seokmin tried to grab him and only noticed his mistake when the Guardians closed in on him. "Guys, let's talk about this, come on. I really didn't cheat! Nonono, I hate tickling, take your grabby hands off, Seokmin!"

Jisoo had just turned towards his room again to hide and wait until the madness was over when Chan's squeal and Seokmin's surprised shout made him turn back in an instant.

"Aw come on, that's unfair," Chan whined and tried fruitlessly to get back down on the floor while Seokmin covered his head to protect it from hitting the ceiling.

"Two against one is just as unfair," grumbled the redhead and made no move to release the Guardians.

"You're going to get tired if you keep that up, won't you?" Jisoo asked and eyed the others worriedly. "Don't drop them, please."

"Of course not; I'm a very responsible Warrior."

Seokmin snorted and the Wielder shook his head at the trio. "Alright then, I'll go to bed now. Have fun guys."

"Hyung! Tell him to let us down!"

"Yeah, don't leave us hanging like that!"

"I'm sure he'll let you down once he gets tired. Don't stay up too long Chan; we have classes tomorrow." The Wielder closed the door behind him.

 

 

Jisoo was dreading the afternoon. He hadn't lied when he had told his mother that the situation at school had gotten less tense but that didn't mean that he enjoyed spending two hours in a classroom with Jeonghan, Seungcheol and Jihoon.

He was extremely fidgety in the class before lunch and it only got worse when the professor asked Chan to stay behind to talk about one of his papers. He consoled himself with the thought that at least Seokmin, Soonyoung and Yongguk's group would provide some distraction during lunch - until he remembered that Daehyun had told him about a trip they were planning and that they wouldn't return before Thursday. Discouraged, he started packing his bag, Chan grumpily packing next to him and Soonyoung unusually quiet as well, and trudged towards the cafeteria while his Guardian stayed behind. He had just opened his mouth to ask Soonyoung what he wanted to eat when his phone beeped and a message from Seokmin popped up.

[13:05] Minnie: There's a problem with Kangin's family business and he asked me to tag along as his "official Forcebearer". See you tomorrow!

Jisoo frowned at the message, slightly unsettled but more annoyed than nervous. It had happened a few times during the past two weeks that Seokmin had to attend a meeting and pretend to still be Kangin's Guardian, and although Jisoo wasn't happy about the situation, he wouldn't stop Seokmin from helping out his former Wielder. Still, he didn't like the thought that Seokmin could possibly get confronted with Chaerin again. With a quiet sigh, he typed his answer.

[13:06] Hong Jisoo: Okay, please take care and stay safe. Call me when you're done?

[13:06] Minnie: Sure, don't worry! :)

Soonyoung was his only escape then. He glanced at the weirdly quiet Forcebearer but Soonyoung seemed to be immersed in his own phone, typing away with a frown on his usually bright face. In silence they walked to the counter of the cafeteria and grabbed their food - noodles with chicken for Jisoo, soup and rice for Soonyoung - before they sat down across each other at a small table in the corner of the hall. The Forcebearer had put his phone on the table and stirred his soup with a far-away look on his face.

"Is everything alright, Soonyoung?" Jisoo asked, after another minute of silence.

The other flinched at the mention of his name, spilt half of his soup and seemed to return back to reality at once. "Wha- oh yes, sure! Sorry, my head's just a bit in the clouds currently. Damn, I spilt it. I think I have tissues somewhere; I packed them yesterday, I'm just not too sure in which pocket." He frantically rummaged through his bag until Jisoo handed him some with a warm smile. He got a grateful grin in return before the Forcebearer started wiping the table.

"You can use them all, there's more in my bag. If you have a problem, you can always talk to me, okay?"

"Thanks, Jisoo." Soonyoung visibly hesitated but after a drawn out pause he seemed to have made a decision. "Actually, there's something I wanted to ask."

Jisoo swallowed his food and sent him an encouraging nod. "Yes?"

"Chan doesn't like me, does he? Be honest, it's important for me to know."

Jisoo thought about the few times he had tried to talk to Chan about Soonyoung and how the younger had always stressed that he disliked the other. ("He's a weirdo, he won't leave me alone" was the most frequent comment and no explanations from Jisoo's side had been able to change his mind.) "Well, I don't think he hates you... I think the problem is that you're trying a bit too hard to befriend him? It probably scares him a little..." Jisoo admitted reluctantly but to his relief Soonyoung seemed neither hurt nor offended.

Instead a pensive look crossed his features and he started tapping on his phone absentmindetly. "So I should tone it down? Maybe befriend someone else instead?"

"Uhm, I guess? I think as long as you just try to be natural around him, he'll accept you eventually. He's a bit stubborn when it comes to others sadly; Jeonghan wasn't able to befriend him in years."

"But he's really close with you, why's that?" Soonyoung's dark eyes bored into his and Jisoo fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Well, I'm his Wielder and I helped him out when he was in a bad situation..."

"You mean when the thing with his family happened?"

"Oh, he told you about it? Yes, I picked him up on the street afterwards and he's been living with me ever since then."

Soonyoung's face brightened at once as if he had just found the answer to all his questions. "So if we hang out more, I can get closer to him because he's always around you, right? Can I visit your place after class?"

Jisoo got caught off-guard by the sudden question and had to sort his thoughts before he could even come up with an answer. "Uh s-sure, I guess. But why do you want to get closer to Channie so badly?"

Soonyoung grinned brightly in response, his eyes forming crescents. "He's pretty cute. But don't tell him."

 

The conversation with Soonyoung had sufficiently distracted him from the dread of the following lesson but it hit him full force as soon as they had left the cafeteria and the Forcebearer started making his way to another building. What made matters worse was the fact that this time Seokmin wouldn't be around to distract him and on his way to the classroom, Jisoo prayed that the three brothers would skip once again.

His prayer got somewhat heard in the way that only Jihoon and Seungcheol were standing in the corner of the classroom while Jeonghan was once again nowhere to be found (Jisoo fruitlessly tried not to worry about the Warrior's grades; it wasn't his business anymore after all). He could feel their eyes on him while he walked towards the table he usually shared with Seokmin, but when he looked up, they were absorbed in a discussion amongst themselves.

The Wielder shortly wondered if he was finally going crazy. With a low sigh, he started unpacking his bag until the chair next to him got pulled back roughly. Assuming it was Seokmin, he turned towards it with a relieved smile. It faltered as soon as he met the eyes of a student he had never talked to before, the Wielder mark prominently placed on his knuckles.

"What's so funny, shrimp?" he asked and Jisoo shrunk back in his seat.

"S-sorry, I mistook y-you for someone else," he stammered before looking down.

"S-s-s-sooooorry," the student imitated with a exaggerated grimace and a two-star Warrior next to him started laughing. Jisoo felt his cheeks flush and he swallowed hard, trying to find a way to get out of the humiliating situation. "Hm? Cat got yer tongue?"

"If you want to keep yours, I recommend shutting your fucking trap, asshole."

Jisoo closed his eyed and shrunk even more when Jihoon's angry voice rang out next to him.

"I don't think your mother would be happy if she knew you're harassing other students, Jaemin. Didn't she graduate as a honour student and is big in charity work?" It had been a while since Jisoo had heard Seungcheol's voice sound this cold.

"Ah come on, 'twas just a joke. Don't be like that, Seungch- woah, okay, okay, I'm leaving. Jeez."

Jisoo kept staring at his book while Seungcheol and Jihoon sat down at his table but he somehow managed to let a very quiet "t-thanks" slip through his trembling lips. He flinched when Jihoon gently grasped his chin and forced him to look the small Warrior in the face.

"Jisoo, you need to fucking stand up for yourself. Don't let shitheads like that trample all over you," Jihoon snarled, his concerned eyes a stark contrast to his harsh tone, before he squished Jisoo's cheeks with his hands, causing him to blush.

"We're worried about you, you know? And seeing stuff like that doesn't really help. Even though we're not bonded anymore, you're still precious to us." Seungcheol's deep voice was smooth like silk and Jisoo's heart jumped at his words.

"We tried to keep our distance because we thought it would be easier for all of us, but we can't just sit by when someone's being a dick to you," Jihoon confirmed and finally let go of the Wielder's face.

The close proximity to the two Warriors was enough to make Jisoo's eyes sting and a lump appear in his throat - but the fact that they suddenly were looking at him, talking to him after almost three weeks of cold silence was a bit too much. The first tears were running down his cheeks just when he passed the doorframe of the classroom and he could hear the two Warriors shouting apologies to the surprised professor.

He only stopped running when he had reached his favourite aisle in the library, eerily reminiscent of the time the Clairvoyance Guardian had told him that he would lose his Forcebearers. There he slumped down on the floor, his face buried in his hands and ready to cry his eyes out - but warm hands on his arms and back made him aware of the fact that he wasn't the only one breathing heavily in the silence of the library. He started sobbing as soon as he got engulfed in a gentle embrace that felt distinctively _Seungcheol_.

The night three weeks ago immediately clawed its way out of the memories he had futilely tried to lock away, and flashes of plush lips and smooth skin made him shudder in the Warrior's tight hold. Even though it hurt, he buried his nose in the crook of Seungcheol's neck and deeply inhaled the familiar scent.

After he had stopped sobbing, Seungcheol let go, albeit reluctantly, and it was Jihoon's turn to hug him. The small, warm body and his clean, soapy smell brought memories of dark nights, whispered conversations and soft bedsheets - and the tears started flowing once again. Jihoon shushed him gently, slim fingers running through Jisoo's hair while Seungcheol kept rubbing soothing circles into the small of his back.

They stayed that way, quietly enjoying each others company and the flood of feelings it brought, until hurried footsteps broke the silence and Chan as well as Soonyoung came to halt in front of them. "What the hell is going on here?" the Guardian gasped through laboured breaths. "Leave him alone; you already did enough damage!"

At his sight, Jihoon had let go of Jisoo immediately and Seungcheol moved away and looked down.

"Channie, I-"

"Wow, you're assholes, seriously! First you pretend to be our friends only to drop us and now you're trying to wrap him around your fingers again?" Chan completely ignored Jisoo's feeble attempts to interrupt him and the more he talked, the angrier he got - even Jihoon stayed quiet and accepted the words thrown at him. "...and I don't give a flying fuck what you have to say. We're leaving." After he had finished his rant, Chan grabbed Jisoo's hand and pulled him up. The two Warriors made no attempt to stop them and Soonyoung curiously looked on. The Wielder followed his angry Bonded with hesitation, his eyes drawn to his former Warriors who remained on the ground and met his gaze until the rows of bookshelves obscured the view.

 

"Why would you let them do that?!" Although almost half an hour had passed, Chan was still livid, and since his number one targets weren't available anymore, his anger was directed at Jisoo instead. The Wielder was trying to think of ways to calm his Guardian down but he couldn't come up with any. It certainly didn't help that Soonyoung was sitting next to him on the couch, completely unconcerned ("You said I could come over to your place today!").

"I told you they helped me, Channie. Yes, I didn't handle it well but I didn't know what to do - I'm sorry," Jisoo explained for the third time and Chan huffed in annoyance. His response got cut short by the doorbell and Jisoo immediately used the chance to flee.

"Yes? Oh, Minghao, I thought your shift ends at six?"

Minghao eyed him closely from head to toe before he grinned. "And I thought your class ends at five?"

Jisoo blushed at the implication and mumbled something about unexpected events before he caught the redhead's arm and stopped him from marching into the flat. "Chan is mad; try not to annoy him, please?"

"Uh oh, what did you do to piss off our little prince?"

"I kinda got in touch with Jihoon and Seungcheol; he didn't like that," Jisoo admitted meekly and the Warrior remained quiet for a few long seconds before he shook his head.

"Urgh, I understand why Chan's angry now but I guess you don't need a second person telling you that it was stupid. He'll be alright though; he can't stay mad at you anyway." Minghao gently pinched Jisoo's nose before he walked into the flat and the Wielder closed the door.

 

Jisoo had decided to cook Chan's favourite dish for dinner - as a peace offering and to have a reason not to stay in the living room. It was hard to be caught in between Chan's bad mood and Minghao's and Soonyoung's happy chatter. It had taken about five minutes for the two to find out that they very much enjoyed the same types of jokes and Soonyoung had been positively thrilled when Minghao had started showcasing some of his magic tricks. Not even the closed door could muffle the excited voices and laughter while the TV only added to the noise.

Jisoo smiled to himself while he rummaged through the freezer compartment in search for the squid he had bought not too long ago. With a small sound of triumph, he finally pulled out the package. It was hard to concentrate on chopping ingredients when his mind tried to wander back to the library and the warm embraces of his former Bonded, but he forced himself to focus, slicing the peppers extra thin.

Suddenly the door got pushed open and Jisoo jumped in fright, the sharp kitchen knife leaving a long cut across his middle finger. "God, those two are killing me. Please don't ever invite- hyung! What happened?!"

Chan was next to him in seconds, all anger completely replaced by concern at the sight of Jisoo cradling his bleeding hand. "I think I got some of the pepper in the wound. Dang, it hurts," Jisoo said through clenched teeth, his face pale.

The younger carefully guided him to the faucet and turned on the water. "Seokmin will come by later, right?"

The Wielder relaxed a little when the cold water ran over the wound, soothing it. "Yes, he said he'll be here by half past six, so any minute now. I don't really want him to feel that, though."

"He's a healer, that's what he does and I don't think he minds healing you. What are you cooking, maybe I can help?"

"Stir-fried squid. If you finish chopping the peppers and spring onions, we can throw it in the pan."

Chan's face immediately brightened at the prospect of eating his favourite food and Jisoo quietly congratulated himself for the idea.

When his finger had stopped bleeding, he started searching for the first-aid kit in the cupboard - only to be disrupted by the doorbell. "Minghao, could you open the door? That's Seokmin," he shouted towards the living room, hands full of random stuff that had accumulated over the past few months. He really needed to start throwing out some of the useless junk he owned.

The doorbell rang three more times in the moment it took Minghao to get there and Jisoo could hear the redhead's annoyed groan over the sounds of the television. "Stop ringing the damn bell, Seokmin; I'm- who are you? Woah, what do you think you're doing?!"

"Move it, Minghao; I need to speak to your Wielder. And Jisoo, your first-aid kit is under the sink, put on a band-aid and move your pretty butt to the couch; I know you can hear me."

 


	34. Strangers

"Okay guys, we have a problem." Walking up and down the living room, the brunette intruder clapped his hands twice before he turned towards the people seated on the couch. "There's a-"

"Excuse me, but _who are you_ exactly?" Minghao cut him off, earning himself a miffed look.

"Don't interrupt me, it's rude. As I was saying, there's-"

"It's even more rude to barge in without introducing yourself," the redhead hissed. "I'll throw you out of the freaking window if you don't tell us your name. Now."

"Wow, aren't you a ray of sunshine? You don't want to throw me out of your window because you'll want the information I'm about to give you. That is, if you let me finish my-"

"Ah! I've seen you before! You're the weirdo who kept staring at me in calculus class on my first day! I told you about him, hyung, remember?" This time it was Chan who interrupted the male and his round face darkened dangerously.

"You did? I'm sorry but I don't remember, Channie." Jisoo seemed slightly saddened by his inability to recall the event before he turned towards the intruder with a smile. "It's nice to finally meet you in person. But didn't you say that you don't want your Wielder to know that you've been talking to me? Isn't it dangerous to come here?"

The stranger leaned against the bookshelf and crossed his arms, a hard look in his eyes. "Well, in approximately ten days I'll be unbonded, so it doesn't really matter all that much anymore." His face softened when he examined Jisoo and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "But yeah, nice to officially meet you after watching you for so long. And for the less intelligent people here," he sent a mocking grin towards Minghao who immediately flushed almost as red as his hair, "my ability is Clairvoyance, the name's Boo Seungkwan. Of course I-"

"Wait, you're the locker guy?!" Chan seemed somewhat disappointed at the revelation and Seungkwan massaged his temples in annoyance.

"As soon as I'm bonded with Jisoo, I'm going to force you people to drink dishwater whenever you interrupt me. I can't keep living like that." He waved his hands in a dramatic motion and Soonyoung coughed to hide his laughter.

"Uhm... bonded with me?" Jisoo inquired carefully, fully prepared for another outburst.

"Obviously. Do you really think I'd meddle that much into the life of some random nobody? I saw that we would end up in a contract, I just didn't know when and how until recently," Seungkwan stated matter-of-factly and gave Soonyoung the stink-eye, who was still unsuccessfully trying to smother his giggles. "But that's not important right now. I'm here because we need to find a Warrior."

Silence followed his words until Minghao spoke. "That was the least helpful thing I've ever heard. How about some details, Mr. Know-it-all?"

Jisoo placed a hand on his Warrior's arm to keep him calm and smiled apologetically at the rather displeased Guardian. "Why do we need to find that Warrior? And who exactly is he?"

"Because he'll be part of the group, obviously, and because he's in trouble right now." Seungkwan hesitated for a few seconds before a light blush tinted his cheeks. "I don't know who or where he is, sorry."

"You want us to search for someone we don't know, without knowing a location either?" Chan repeated, disbelief written all over his face, and Minghao shook his head next to him.

"But it's really important! He's wounded and unbonded; it's dangerous for him to be out there alone. And I don't think he's conscious either; we can't leave him like that," Seungkwan exclaimed, his pleading eyes directed at Jisoo. "We'll find him! I know it!"

"Why are you so invested in someone you don't know?" Soonyoung asked, his expression somewhere between mild fascination and amusement.

The Guardian's eyes moved towards him and his face turned pensive. "It's hard to explain. I don't know him personally but I've seen my future with him, so to me it feels as if we're already friends, somewhat. Urgh, come on guys! We can't just sit here!"

While the Forcebearer's still looked unconvinced, Jisoo nodded slowly, much to the delight of Seungkwan. "I understand why you want to find him, but how do we start exactly?" he asked and ignored the disbelieving looks of his Bonded.

The Clairvoyance Guardian ran his fingers through his hair while he tried to come up with a realistic solution, successfully turning it into a mess, but before he could make a proposal, his eyes lost their lively glimmer and his face turned expressionless. The rest of the group watched him with mixed feelings until he flinched and returned back to normal a few seconds later.

"Was that a vision?" Chan asked curiously and Seungkwan nodded. "What did you see?"

Instead of answering, the Guardian walked over to the front door and opened it, revealing Seokmin, who had just reached for the bell. "That's so cool," whispered Soonyoung, admiration sparkling in his eyes, while Seokmin looked completely bewildered when Seungkwan greeted him by name and introduced himself.

"So, we were just talking about how to find an injured Warrior. Since you're a Healer, maybe you can help us out?"

"Uhm..." Seokmin took off his parka, still a little perplexed, and Jisoo got up to greet him with a hug. The Healer wrapped an arm around his waist while answering Seungkwan's question. "Well, I can feel it when I'm in the presence of blood, so I guess theoretically I could trace someone who's heavily wounded. I've never tried it before though." The Wielder felt a tingle in his injured finger and knew that the Guardian had healed him even without being asked to do so. He frowned but the Healer only grinned in response.

"Sounds good, let's go!" Seungkwan looked much more satisfied with the answer than the rest of the Forcebearers, Seokmin included. Jisoo simply smiled at his enthusiasm and went to grab his coat, followed shortly afterwards by his reluctant Bonded, Seungkwan and Soonyoung.

 

It was hard to determine whose mood was worse: Minghao had been muttering about wasted time ever since they had left the flat, Chan was loudly complaining about being hungry since they hadn't been able to finish cooking their dinner, and Seungkwan got more and more agitated the longer they took, while Seokmin seemed close to despair since he couldn't detect anything more than a few scraped knees here and there.

The only people unaffected so far were Soonyoung, who was humming a quiet tune to himself and skipped ahead, and Jisoo, who trailed behind the grumpy Forcebearers, enjoying the crisp night air. Even though he knew that an injured Warrior was waiting somewhere, it was hard to feel stressed about it since the situation was so abstract. Therefore he walked slowly while listening to Minghao's and Chan's agitated conversation.

His thoughts drifted towards Jihoon and Seungcheol, but once again he forced himself not to think about the events of this afternoon and what possible consequences they could have. Instead he focused on Hansol and Jun, a topic that was probably even worse than the previous one. He briefly wondered if the nameless Warrior would be in a similar state to Jun after he had gotten shot and he prayed that it wouldn't be the case. Thinking of the brothers made his heart ache and caused anxiety to bubble in his stomach. Although he tried his hardest not to imagine the possibility that they had gotten caught, he was fighting a losing battle and images of pain and death started running through his head like a frightening movie.

Jisoo stopped walking and focused on his breathing, the way Seokmin had taught him after the third consecutive night of dead eyes, blazing guns and bloody towels.

In. Out. In. Out.

It took quite a while but the anxiety receded and he was able to once again breathe more freely.

The moment of relief was short-lived when he noticed that he had lost sight of his group. At least it wasn't the side alleys again, he told himself, although he could still feel the hairs on his skin raising. His fingers were shaking when he fished his phone out of his pocket. The first number was Seokmin's since they had talked not too long ago and he called him while cautiously moving along the dimly lit street next to a small park. The looming shadows of trees and bushes made him shudder and he hastily looked away.

"Jisoo? Where are you?" The Wielder relaxed slightly at the sound of the Healer's concerned voice.

"Sorry, I got distracted and now I'm a bit lost. I'm next to a park, could you come and pick me up, please?"

"Sure, stay where you are and we'll be there in- ah."

"Seokmin?" The sudden interruption worried Jisoo and he fidgeted, glancing at the trees once again.

"I think I can feel him," the other whispered excitedly, "he's around here somewhere!"

"Oh." Although Jisoo would have preferred to get picked up immediately, the thought of an injured person made him change his mind. "Then you should search for him first. I'll just wait here until you've found him," he proposed and Seokmin agreed reluctantly before they hung up the phone.

The Wielder looked around and spotted a bench not too far off. Slowly, he walked over, trying to ignore the restless feeling in his stomach - a remainder of all the incidents that had happened while he was outside at night. The breathing exercise helped him stay somewhat calm but he still opened the connection to his bonds, just to feel not as alone anymore. The annoyance of Chan and Minghao flooded him immediately, clearly distinguishable from Seokmin's worry. As soon as they felt the connection, their feelings lightened and Jisoo immediately felt better at the love that warmed his chest. He tried to reciprocate it as much as he could.

Loud voices pulled him out of his happy bubble and he warily squinted into the darkness of the park. He could imagine at least a thousand things he'd rather do than get in trouble with a group of drunks, so he decided to leave his bench until they were gone. Creeping back towards the streets, he quickly vanished into a gap between two houses and followed the narrow path to a dingy backyard.

It was darker than Jisoo had anticipated and he took out his phone to take a look at his surroundings. The dirty, grey concrete walls were windowless, only a boarded up door was visible in the corner of the square yard. Rubble, trash and dead weeds covered the ground.

Deciding that he was hidden well enough, the nervous energy slowly ebbed away and the Wielder took a few deep breaths. Calling Chan to find out how things were going seemed like a good idea, but just when his fingers had found the home button, a quiet groan made his stomach drop. He stiffened and glanced around in search of the source, however all he could make out was a pile of wood and other debris close to the wall to his right. Prepared to jump back and run at any potential threat, he hesitantly moved closer, eyes trained on the dark shapes on the ground.

When he was close enough to peer behind the pile, he held up his phone - and almost dropped it at the sight of an unhealthy amount of blood and a battered, cut-up face. The male was not dead, judging by the way his chest moved slightly, but his eyes were closed and Jisoo thought that being unconscious was probably a blessing, based on the amount of wounds the stranger sported. It was almost impossible to make out facial features through the grime and blood that covered the stranger's face. Jisoo tried not to imagine how much pain it would cause Seokmin to heal the gruesome injuries.

His musings got disturbed by the sound of quickly approaching feet and he shrunk back into the shadows next to the unconscious body until he could hear Chan's annoyed voice. "Are you sure it's here? I'd rather pick up Jisoo now; he's scared and I hate that."

The group squeezed through the tight gap and collectively jumped when the Wielder abruptly got up and waved them closer. "He's over here!"

"What are _you_ doing here?!" Minghao asked while Seokmin scurried over and began checking on the unconscious Warrior.

"Uhm, I was trying to avoid a group of drunks and somehow ended up here. Will he be okay?" The last part was directed at Seokmin and Seungkwan equally.

"Of course he will," Seungkwan said dismissively and Seokmin nodded slowly.

"Yes, but I think I need to heal him. He has several broken bones, open wounds, and something is seriously wrong with his lungs." He didn't look happy at the prospect and Jisoo frowned in concern.

Minghao wrapped an arm around the Wielder's shoulders to console him and Jisoo leaned into his side, grateful for the physical contact. "Do you want to heal him now or should we take him home?"

"I think it's safer to heal him first, at least his bones and lung, maybe also the deeper cuts. I don't want to hurt him more by moving him." Seokmin looked determined but Jisoo could feel cold fear creeping through their bond. He patted Minghao's hand and moved next to the Healer, linking their fingers to show his support, although he wished he could do more for his Guardian.

Seokmin send him a small smile nonetheless before he blocked their connection and went to work on the stranger. His fingers tightened considerably around Jisoo's and his face paled when he absorbed the pain of the first broken bone. It was glaringly obvious that he was trying hard not to scream and Jisoo forced himself to stay as calm as possible while watching his Guardian's contorted expression.

 

It had felt like the longest ten minutes of Jisoo's life and Seokmin was a complete mess after healing the worst injuries. He was lying on the dirty ground not unlike the still unconscious Warrior, his head placed on the Wielder's lap, shivering from overexertion and as pale as a sheet. The unnamed Warrior looked quite similar to before, still battered and bruised, but at least his oozing wounds had closed and his laboured breathing had gotten lighter.

"Now we have two half-dead people to bring home," Soonyoung stated from the sidelines. "Who's gonna carry them?"

 

After a fierce battle of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Minghao had ended up being the lucky group member who had to carry the unconscious Warrior on his back, while the Wielder and Chan had volunteered to support Seokmin. Losing the game had only added to Minghao's already foul mood but he still offered to let the Warrior recover in his flat, since Jisoo's apartment was too small and too far away.

 

After handing Seungkwan his keys and complaining about the amount of time it took him to open the door ("Then do it yourself, dumbass!"), Minghao let the motionless Warrior flop onto his couch with a relieved groan while the rest of the group stepped into the redhead's flat for the first time. It was just as unique as his character, a mixture of different styles and colours, different sizes and shapes, but somehow it all fit well together. Jisoo was immediately drawn towards the pictures that were littering the walls but he stayed put and carefully guided Seokmin to a fluffy armchair in the corner.

"Is it normal that he hasn't woken up yet?" Chan asked, eyeing the figure on the couch, whom Seungkwan was currently trying to pull into a more comfortable position.

Rubbing his eyes, Seokmin sighed and tried to sit up straight. "I'm not sure. I couldn't feel anything wrong after healing him - apart from his bruises of course - but I honestly don't know if I can even detect something like brain damage. I think it's best to just leave him alone until he wakes up naturally. Do you have a guest bed or something, Minghao? I don't like the way his neck gets crooked by the arm-rest."

The Warrior scratched his head and looked around before his face brightened. "I have an old mattress in my storage room if that counts as a guest bed?"

Seokmin smiled his usual sunny smile and Jisoo felt his heart lighten at the sight. "Well, better than nothing, I guess."

 

It took the stranger several hours to wake up. Seungkwan and Soonyoung had long left and Jisoo was curled up on the couch together with Chan and Minghao when Seokmin walked out of the storage room, his face even more concerned than before.

"What's wrong, Minnie?" Jisoo was the first one to notice his crestfallen expression. At his question, Chan woke up with a start and Minghao also turned towards the Healer.

"I really don't know. He's awake and everything but he's not responding to any of my questions. The only he reaction he showed was when I tried to check his pulse and he flinched at my touch. I'm really worried that his head actually got more damaged than I thought," Seokmin said, sounding close to tears.

The rest shared helpless glances at the desperate tone of his voice and Jisoo got up to hug him. "Calm down. Even if there is some sort of damage, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. Sit down and relax a bit; I'll look after him. Maybe you could go home and sleep for a few hours?"

"I'd rather not go home in case something happens to him," the Guardian mumbled tiredly, face buried in Jisoo's hair.

"You can use my bed; you look like you're going to fall asleep standing. Share it with Chan, he's just as tired and we'll wake you up if something goes wrong," Minghao offered and Seokmin sent him a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I think I," he couldn't suppress a yawn, "really need it. I left his clothes next to the mattress together with the ointment and I wiped him down as much as I could. He's in a pretty horrible state unfortunately. I'll heal his bruises as soon as I've recovered a bit. Maybe you could put some more ointment on them until then?"

 

Once the two Guardians were gone, Jisoo steeled himself and opened the door to the storage room. It was a bleak little room without any windows and the dust on the shelves was evidence that it rarely got used. The mattress was filling up almost all of the available space on the floor. The Warrior was lying on the makeshift bed, his eyes open but blank and directed at the ceiling. He had not reacted when Jisoo had stepped into the room and even when the Wielder slowly moved towards him, he didn't acknowledge his presence.

"Hello, how are you feeling?" The stranger didn't move. His eyes were not leaving the ceiling; it didn't seem like he had heard him. Maybe he was deaf? But he should have noticed Jisoo by now, even if he was. The Wielder awkwardly scratched his nape and tried again. "I'm Jisoo and who are you?" Only silence answered him. "Uhm... a-are you mute by any chance? I'm s-sorry if that's a bit personal." He laughed, a nervous, high pitched sound, but the Forcebearer remained motionless. The Wielder sighed.

Now that the Warrior had gotten somewhat cleaned up, Jisoo could make out a handsome, albeit bruised and slightly swollen face with a sharp jaw line and dark, empty eyes. Blood and dirt were still caked into the stranger's black hair, making it look stringy and unkept. The Wielder took in the multiple hues of blue and purple that littered the pale skin and wondered what exactly the other had done to be left half-dead in a dingy backyard.

Carefully Jisoo kneeled next to the mattress and picked up the cream Seokmin had used earlier. "Is it o-okay if I put some more ointment on your bruises? I don't want you to be in pain and this is supposed t-to numb it a little." He took the following silence as consent and squeezed some of the cream on his fingertip. Slowly he leaned in and gingerly dabbed ointment on the bruised cheeks, all while making sure not to make any sudden movements. Just like Seokmin had said, the Warrior flinched but otherwise remained unmoving, eyes still directed at the ceiling.

When Jisoo had finished with his face, he turned his attention to the arms, hidden beneath the long sleeves of one of Minghao's oversized sweaters. His heart sank when he pulled them up. Bruises and scars were winding around the stranger's wrists like disturbing bracelets. Seokmin was able to let fresh wounds vanish without a trace but scars of old injuries were something not even he could get rid of. With a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jisoo lifted the thin blanket they had spread over the Warrior and examined his legs. He had been wearing torn, dirty pants when they had found him, but Seokmin had taken them off, allowing clear view of the same markings around the Warrior's ankles. With shaking hands, the Wielder let the blanket fall back down and turned towards the expressionless face. "Who d-did that? W-what did they do to you? That's horrible." His voice broke and he felt hot tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Shaking his head, he tried to focus back on applying ointment.

The moment Jisoo's fingers touched the scarred skin on the Warrior's wrist, a shock seemed to run through the limp body and for the first time, the stranger moved by himself. With incredible speed he sat up, moving as far away from the Wielder as possible in the cramped space, and pressed his wrists against his chest; all without the smallest sound.

Jisoo had recoiled at the sudden motion and watched in horror when the Warrior began to scratch his scarred skin, blunt nails leaving dark red lines. His eyes widened even further at the sight of blood that began to drip down the bruised wrists.

"Please don't hurt yourself!" He lunged forward and grasped the Warrior's hands, struggling to hold them down, but even in his weakened state, the other male was much stronger and easily shook him off. "Oh god, I need Seokmin," the Wielder muttered while he tried to stop the stranger from clawing at his wrists once again. He winced in pain when his own skin got ripped open and fear gripped him at the sight of their blood mixing.

"Stop it!"

The Warrior froze at once; the first indication that he could indeed hear Jisoo. The Wielder stiffened as well, waiting for whatever would happen next - after about a minute, he took a deep breath and eyed the stranger warily. The male had paled during the struggle and a fresh sheen of sweat made his face glisten in the light of the dusty lamp. The blood on his wrists and beneath his nails was slowly congealing.

"Are you okay?" No response. "Hello?" The Warrior remained motionless and Jisoo scowled, annoyance creeping up on him - after all it was already past three in the morning and the fresh scratch on his arm hurt. "Dang it, I know you can hear me! At least tell me your name!" And to his utmost surprise, a low, raspy voice finally answered him.

"Mingyu."


	35. The Puppet

Jisoo had tried everything to get the injured Warrior to speak one more time but he had remained quiet and it frustrated the Wielder to no end. They sat in silence, the only sound the buzzing of the old heating system, and he raked his brain for a solution. What had it been that had made the other talk almost an hour ago? He tried once again.

"Mingyu? How are your injuries? Do the scratches hurt?" The Wielder had disinfected them and had also tried to wrap gauze around Mingyu's wrists, but the other had struggled once again and Jisoo had given up, hoping that the disinfectant would at least prevent infection until Seokmin had rested enough to take care of the problem. "Are you hungry?"

The Warrior stared straight ahead, no muscle moving in the bruised face.

Jisoo groaned and ruffled his hair. "Oh, come on! Look at me while I'm talking!"

The reaction was instantaneous and the Wielder froze when Mingyu faced him, eye to eye. "Uhm... I-I just wanted to know if you're hungry?" he asked meekly - sighing when the Warrior remained silent. "Urgh, why are you-" Jisoo stopped. A thought had popped up and he eyed the Warrior with an appraising look.

"How old are you?" He knew that no reaction would come and was proven right immediately. "Tell me your age." If his guess was correct, the other would-

"Twenty one." The low voice filled the room for the second time that night.

A cold fist seemed to clench around Jisoo's heart as he examined the empty eyes of the Warrior. It hurt to think that the male was almost two years younger than he was. What kind of miserable life would turn a human into a puppet that only reacted to direct commands?

"Tell me your full name."

"Kim Mingyu." The reply came without the slightest hesitation.

The Wielder frowned at the prospect of using orders to get the answers he wanted; he had never been a particularly forceful person and he had absolutely no intention to change anytime soon. After a few minutes of contemplative silence, he tried a different approach. "Mingyu, I'll ask you some questions now and you will answer them." He forced his voice to sound more confident than he felt.

"Yes."

Jisoo's shoulders relaxed slightly and several questions wanted to tumble out of his mouth at once, but he forced them back down. First things first. "Are you in pain?"

"Yes." Mingyu's toneless voice didn't change; he showed no signs of pain whatsoever but Jisoo didn't doubt him.

"What hurts the most?"

"The bruises."

That didn't sound too bad. At least Seokmin seemed to have healed all bones correctly. He decided that he could dare to ask his other questions now. "Who put you in that state?" Jisoo held his breath.

"Wonwoo."

"Huh? Who's that?" Mingyu remained silent and Jisoo scolded himself for losing focus, worried that the other would stop answering eventually. He once again tried to sound as authoritative as he could. "Mingyu, why did he hurt you?"

"I betrayed them." He said it so blankly that the Wielder felt a a shiver run down his spine.

"W-was Wonwoo your Wielder?"

"No."

"Who was your Wielder?"

"Jiyong."

The name rang no bells for Jisoo but he made a mental note to ask Chan later. If the younger also didn't know any Wielders called Jiyong, maybe he could contact Jeonghan... He shook his head to get rid of the thought. "How did you betray them?"

"I helped outsiders."

The Wielder rubbed his temples in irritation at the curt answers before he kept asking. "With what?"

"Killing Daesung."

Jisoo stopped at the familiar name and silence filled the room for several long seconds before he finally broke it, his voice shaky. "D-Daesung, as in the Wielder of Taeyang?"

"Yes."

Hands clenching in his lap, Jisoo's thoughts were racing at lightning speed. "Did you s-succeed in killing him?"

"Yes."

The Wielder's heart sped up even more but he forced his voice to stay calm. "What did you do exactly?"

"We prepared a trap. Taeyang went in first. He died. Daesung got injured. He died later. I got caught."

Another cold shiver ran down Jisoo's spine. Not even the smallest hint of either triumph or regret was detectable in the toneless voice and empty eyes of the man in front of him. He had remained completely emotionless throughout the conversation, as if taking the lives of two people was nothing worth mentioning. The thought horrified the Wielder. "And Wonwoo p-punished you for that?"

"Yes."

"Is he also one of Jiyong's Forcebearers?"

"Yes."

Jisoo hesitated for a long moment but then he dared to ask the most important question. "W-were you part of the gang called 'the Organisation'?"

 

When the Wielder left the storage room, the sky visible through the windows had already turned bright, but he felt absolutely no desire to sleep at that particular moment. Minghao was lying stretched out on the couch, one arm dangling from the cushion and mouth gaping wide open. Although the conversation with Mingyu was weighing heavily on Jisoo's heart, he smiled at the goofy sight and went over to cover his Bonded with the blanket that had slipped onto the floor. At his light touch, the Warrior mumbled something incoherent and turned in his direction, the corners of his lips twitching into a small, satisfied smile. Jisoo ran his fingers through the silky red strands and absentmindedly played with them for a few minutes while mentally going over the information he had just received. At the end of their conversation, he had told Mingyu to sleep and even that order had been followed immediately. It hurt to see a human being without any free will.

Jisoo got up and peeked into the bedroom to find Chan and Seokmin curled into each other under dark red sheets. It was too early to wake them up, therefore he decided to make breakfast to take his mind off the situation at hand. As soon as he had turned back towards the door, Seokmin's tired groan stopped him.

The Guardian had opened his eyes and was sleepily watching him, one hand hiding a yawn. "Jisoo, are-" he cleared his throat to get rid of the huskiness but the Wielder shushed him and pointed towards Chan. Seokmin smiled at the sight of the younger and carefully wriggled out of his tight hold. When he had freed himself, he got up and followed Jisoo outside.

"You can keep sleeping longer, you know? It's not even six," Jisoo said as soon as they had closed the bedroom door and had sneaked past the living room into the kitchen.

"Why are you hurt?" Seokmin completely ignored his suggestion and eyed the sleeve that hid the scratch on the Wielder's arm. "Let me heal you."

He had already reached out before Jisoo could reply but the Wielder took a step back and avoided his hand. "Save your energy for Mingyu's bruises; it's just a scratch anyway."

For a moment Seokmin looked confused before he connected the dots. "He talked to you?" Jisoo nodded. "That's great! But I'd still rather heal you than him; give me your arm and tell me what happened exactly."

Jisoo avoided his hands one more time and Seokmin frowned at him. "It's really nothing. He got agitated and started scratching his wrists after I touched them. When I tried to stop him, he scratched me too. I don't think it was on purpose though and he stopped once I told him to." Jisoo's face fell when he remembered the events. "Minnie, he only listens to commands and I think he got tied up before; that's why he has all those scars. It's really terrible."

The Healer looked genuinely concerned when Jisoo's despair reached him and he pulled him into a warm embrace to console him. "Did you find out what happened to him exactly?"

"It's that gang again, the one Jun and Hansol told you about. Mingyu and some others apparently k-killed a Forcebearer and injured the Wielder fatally as well. I've met those two before, on the night I met Minghao. He was running from them because the Wielder had forcebonded him and now they're dead." Jisoo's voice broke and Seokmin pulled him even closer, caressing his back.

They both jumped when Minghao's voice rang behind them, his tone as sharp as a knife. "They are dead? Taeyang and Daesung are dead?"

"That's what the Warrior in your storage room said," Jisoo confirmed, voice muffled by the Healer's shoulder.

"How?! They're incredibly powerful; you can't just go and kill them!" Minghao sounded conflicted and his face mirrored his emotions when Jisoo turned in Seokmin's arms to look at him.

"I don't know the details either; you'll have to ask Mingyu yourself. He just said that he and some others laid out a trap and apparently their plan worked."

"Is that guy trustworthy? Maybe he's bullshitting to make us feel safe." The redhead's face had darkened at that thought but Jisoo shook his head.

"I don't think so. If we hadn't found him, he probably would have died of his injuries. Also he's pretty messed up mentally: he only reacts to commands and only speaks in really short, simple sentences."

"We only found him because that clairvoyance guy suddenly showed up. How do we know that this," the Warrior motioned to all of them, "is not a trap? We don't know anything about either of them and I'm probably still on the freaking hit list of the Organisation," Minghao argued heatedly, his inner turmoil flowing through the bond like lava.

Biting his lip in contemplation, the Wielder fiddled with Seokmin's shirt. The Warrior wasn't wrong but his instinct told him that the two Forcebearers were genuine - although he had no way to prove it. "Mingyu did say that he is a member of it," he admitted and Minghao immediately looked even more distrustful, "but so were Hansol and Jun. That doesn't mean that they enjoy being part of a gang. And I guess killing high ranking members is a pretty good indicator that he didn't enjoy it much."

" _If_ he killed them."

Jisoo tiredly rubbed his face while Seokmin hid his smile in the Wielder's hair. "How about you talk to him after breakfast?"

 

"Won't it scare him if four people he doesn't know crowd him at once?" Jisoo asked, his voice tinged with disapproval. Seokmin looked uncertain as well but the curiosity of the other two Bonded left no room for discussion and the Wielder sighed at the sight of their determined faces. Gently he knocked on the door and entered after a few seconds had passed.

Mingyu was sitting on the mattress, the tray with food Jisoo had brought him earlier (and commanded him to eat) empty but still on his lap. Smiling at him, the Wielder placed the tray on the floor. He counted it a success that the Warrior's gaze had moved in his direction - although he had the sneaking suspicion that it was only because he was awaiting new orders.

"Mingyu, my friends want to talk to you. You've met Seokmin last night already, the red haired one is Minghao and the third one is Chan. Answer their questions." He bit back the "please" that threatened to slip out; he had learned quickly that orders starting or ending with that word didn't seem to count in Mingyu's book.

"Yes." The Warrior didn't even glance at the nervous Forcebearers in front of him, his eyes still focused on Jisoo. Minghao frowned at his behaviour but before he could start questioning the other, Seokmin had reached out, stopping only centimetres from touching Mingyu's arm with a wary look to Jisoo.

"Mingyu, Seokmin is going to heal you now. Don't be scared, he won't hurt you."

The Warrior remained impassive and the Wielder nodded at the Guardian who carefully avoided touching Mingyu's wrists while healing him.

"Does anything hurt?" he asked after a few minutes of silence in which the colourful bruises had faded until only healthy skin remained – revealing even more of the handsome face.

"No."

"Could you get up and walk?"

"Yes."

Moments passed but the Warrior remained seated, showing no indication that he would move anytime soon. "I think you need to order him to do it; he probably took that as a question," Chan whispered while eyeing Mingyu.

"Oh, right." Seokmin scratched his neck awkwardly. "Uh... please walk through the room once so I can see if everything is okay?"

Rolling his eyes at the timid request of the Healer, Minghao faced the Warrior. "Oy! Walk through the room, now."

It took Mingyu visible effort to get up and Jisoo stretched out his arms just in case he would stumble - but even in this state he proceeded to walk through the cramped space without complaints until Seokmin told him to stop and to sit down again. "I think he's okay physically; it's normal to feel a bit weak after such an ordeal. I'm more concerned about his mental health..." he drifted off and the Wielder patted his back.

"I think I know why he behaves like that," Minghao suddenly said and the attention was on him at once. "But I'm not one-hundred percent certain; let me ask him some questions first." He got up and moved in front of the Warrior, piercing him with a steely gaze. "You were a part of the Organisation?"

"Yes."

"How did you know Daesung?"

"A partner of my Wielder."

The redhead whistled quietly. "Damn, he must have a high position in the gang as well then," he remarked before turning back to Mingyu. "Anyway, have you ever met 'the Puppeteer'?"

"Yes."

"Who's that?" Chan interrupted with furrowed brows. "What a stupid name."

"Apparently he's an extremely powerful Forcebearer. Daesung threatened me with him once; that was the only time I've heard that name. He's always hated my guts and said that the guy could easily put me in my place if I don't behave."

"What does he do exactly?" Seokmin asked, his voice filled with curiosity while Jisoo looked horrified.

"I'm not sure exactly. I've asked around a bit afterwards and word on the street is that he simply erases everything you ever were and turns you into his puppet, hence the freaky name. I've never really believed it, but now..." All eyes had turned to Mingyu's blank face while Minghao was talking.

"That sounds almost too powerful to be true," Chan said weakly and snuggled closer into his Wielder's side.

"Mingyu, you said you've met the Puppeteer. When? And what happened?" Jisoo asked and wrapped his arms around Chan's waist.

"Multiple times. First time after I got forcebonded. Last time three days ago. He used his ability."

They shared looks at his clipped answer, ranging from disturbed to terrified.

"But how did you manage to prepare a trap for Daesung if you were under the influence of that ability?" Minghao questioned, his expression wavering between suspicion and fear.

"He was on a mission. He took too long. It got weaker."

"So it's not permanent," Chan concluded, relief audible in his voice.

"But it's still much more long-lasting than anything I've heard of before," Seokmin said, sounding tense. "Mingyu, how long did it take until it had worn off completely?"

"Twenty-two days."

"Damn." Minghao leaned back against the wall and rubbed his face. "That could've been me. I'm so freaking lucky that you got me out of that contract, Soo."

The Wielder nodded, his arms still tightly wrapped around Chan. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "But isn't there any way to get rid of it faster? I don't want him to be like this for the next three weeks..."

"Good question. I think we have three options," Seokmin answered and held up three fingers. "One, just like you said, we leave him like that and wait until it wears off by itself." Jisoo vehemently shook his head at that option, almost hitting Chan in the face with his chin.

"Two, we ask Seungcheol and Jeonghan for help. They have mind-controlling abilities as well and might be able-"

"No freaking way!" Chan declined at once without giving the Healer a chance to finish, earning himself a pinch in the side from his Wielder. Minghao grinned at the squeak of the younger.

"Okay, okay. Number three would be to form a contract with him and test whether the force of a bond is stronger than the force of an ability."

Minghao's and Chan's faces lit up while Jisoo looked anything but happy. "I'm not going to forcebond him! He's been through enough already. I like the idea with Seungcheol and Jeonghan..." he trailed off when he noticed Chan's glare and fiddled with his sleeve.

"Can't he bond with him normally? It doesn't have to be a forcebond, does it?" Minghao asked.

"I think every contract formed in his current state would automatically turn into a forcebond since he can't consent to it on his own. You'd probably have to order him to accept beforehand, making it force by default," Seokmin answered pensively. "But there's no reason for you to keep the contract afterwards; you can just cancel it after we've found out if it helps." The Guardian's smile was reassuring while he patted Jisoo's cheek who still looked highly unconvinced.

Turning back towards Mingyu, the Wielder examined his blank face and empty eyes, trying to imagine what they would look like with a lively spark. He could feel his Bonded reacting to the sadness that ran through him and after a few seconds, he was surrounded by three warm bodies, pressing into him to bring at least a little bit of comfort. He sighed and closed his eyes while steeling himself.

"Mingyu, I will form a contract with you now." Jisoo took a deep breath and forced his voice to stay calm. "Accept it."

 


	36. Forcebond

Agony.

Barbed wire. Tight. Cutting into skin.

Familiar. Terrifying.

No air, no way to breathe. Coughing, choking, suffocating.

A voice. "Mingyu, calm down. It's just the bond; take a deep breath."

More words. Unintelligible.

Calmdowncalmdowncalmdown. Or punishment.

Deep breath.

More air, less pain. Wire too tight.

"Can you hear me?"

Answer. Now.

"Yes."

"Is the ability still in effect?"

Answer. Now.

"Yes."

Mumbling. No orders.

New voice. "C-Can you fight it?"

Master. Answer! Now!

Answeransweransweranswer. Unsure.

"I don't know."

Meaningless.

Punishment? Fear.

"Fight it. I am y-your Wielder, listen to me."

Yes, Master!

Thorns. Searing hot pain. Tighter and tighter.

Chest burns. Fire.

Head hurts. Freezing cold.

Hurtshurtshurts. Agony again.

Hot against cold.

Heart against brain.

"Come on, Mingyu! Do it!"

Yes, Master!

No air, too tight. Crushing tightness.

Suffocating the cold. Smothering it. Smaller and smaller.

Less pain in my head. Even more pain in my chest.

The bond was too tight around me. It was cutting into me and it hurt so much.

Why did I have to go through this again? I didn't want to feel this way. But I couldn't stop it. I was helpless and at my Wielder's mercy.

But the numbness in my head had faded and for the first time in a while my senses were not detached from me anymore.

I looked around and four strangers stared back. Jisoo, Seokmin, Minghao, Chan - my brain knew, although I didn't remember. The bond burned even brighter when my gaze met Jisoo's. It was terrifying. He looked nothing like my former master, his eyes much warmer, but the forcebond didn't lie.

Wielders were all the same.

I jumped when he talked to me, his voice soft and melodic. "How are you feeling?"

If I would answer honestly, I would get punished. "Fine."

"Did you get rid of it completely?"

It? What did he mean? Cold sweat was accumulating at my hairline while he kept staring at me. I wished he would look away - his oddly warm gaze scared me for some reason. "I'm sorry, I don't understand the question, Master," I answered before I closed my eyes and bowed my head, awaiting my punishment. The bond tightened around me even more, stealing my breath and holding me in place.

"Call me Jisoo, please. I meant the ability of the Forcebearer called 'the Puppeteer'. I f-forcebonded you, so you'd be able to fight it." He sounded incredibly miserable and I dared to look up at his depressed tone. His posture was not unlike mine: head hung low and eyes downcast. The people surrounding him were obviously trying to comfort him; the small one pressed into his side, the red haired one kneeling behind him, arms loosely wrapped around his neck, and the tallest one to his left was running his fingers through my Wielder's hair.

What a weird group. I briefly wondered if they were lovers but I dismissed the thought before I focused back on the explanation of my Ma- Jisoo. I vaguely remembered meeting someone going by 'the Puppeteer' before but I had no clue what exactly had happened afterwards. Everything regarding the last two and a half years was foggy, apart from a short episode of clearness during the last few weeks - and I'd rather not recall that time. My heart jumped at the thought and I quickly banned it to the back of my mind. "I remember him. His real name is Seungri and he's one of my former Wielder's favourite Forcebearers. And yes, I think his influence is gone."

The whole group seemed to relax at my words and it was incredibly odd to see all those people in sync with each other. But whatever was going on between them; it was even stranger that Jisoo hadn't forced me to reveal my rank and ability yet - usually the first action any Wielder would take. Examining the people in front of me one more time, my eyes were drawn to the way the small one stared at my Wielder's face and how the corner of the lips of the tall one twitched into a smile when Jisoo patted his leg. The thought that they were lovers suddenly seemed much less unreasonable.

I flinched when my eyes met the dark glare of the redhead over my Wielder's shoulder and I quickly looked away. Better not stir up trouble with any more Wielders today, I already counted myself lucky that I hadn't gotten punished yet.

"I have some more questions but is it okay if I cancel the contract first? I really don't like it," Jisoo asked without any warning and I felt my jaw drop at the question.

What.

What was wrong with him? Why would he let me go? Did he not care about the prestige he would get with me by his side?

Maybe he was joking. I eyed the rest of the group and all of them seemed conflicted, some more than others.

"Are you sure he won't relapse once we get rid of it?" the small one asked, looking at the tallest male for an answer.

"It's also safer for us to have him forcebonded. I'm still not convinced that he's genuine," the redhead said and returned my stare, eyes filled with suspicion.

Of course. Wielders were all the same.

"It's cruel and unnatural." Jisoo had turned around at his words, facing away from me, and his voice had adopted a sharp tone that caused goosebumps to rise on my skin. I could feel the bond tighten around me once again, reacting to his disapproval. "How would you feel if I kept you in a forcebond?" Ha. As if Wielders could ever relate to us. "You should know best how it feels and why I'm so against it."

Apparently Jisoo wasn't the only one using forcebonds to tame his Forcebearers. Great.

But to my surprise, the redhead actually looked appropriately ashamed and mumbled something about safety measures before he stopped talking altogether and remained quiet behind my Wielder, who turned back towards me. The two males at Jisoo's sides grinned as if they had just witnessed something hilarious. "Anyway. Are you ready to cancel the contract?"

I got startled out of my thoughts when he addressed me directly and for a few beautiful seconds, hope blossomed in my chest.

I smothered it immediately. No way he would let me go just like that; it had to be some sort of cruel joke. But I still nodded, trying my hardest not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me affected by his words. Jisoo directed his warm smile at me and the bond constricted my chest, not quite painful this time but still uncomfortable. It was definitely a forcebond, no use denying that, but at least it hurt less than the last contract I had gotten caught in. However, its constant tightness gave me the feeling that it was trying its hardest to get inside of me, to bury itself somewhere beneath my skin. The thought made me shudder.

I watched together with the other guys as Jisoo closed his eyes and furrowed his brows in concentration. He wouldn't, would he?

I sucked in a surprised breath when the bond suddenly loosened slightly. Would he really go that far just to see my defeated expression? If that was the case, he was even more cruel than Jiyong; he just hid it better behind his sweet smile and soft voice.

The bond lost even more of its crushing hold on me and I felt as if I could breathe properly for the first time in years. I tried not to show my relief too much but everyone was focused on Jisoo anyway.

And suddenly, with a last harsh tremor that seemed to run through my skin and sink into my chest, the forcebond was gone and I was utterly lost.

 

-

 

Jisoo opened his eyes and smiled at the sudden feeling of lightness that filled his chest. The forcebond had weighed heavily on him and although it wasn't painful for the Wielder, the thought that Mingyu might've felt otherwise had made him nauseous.

His Forcebearers felt the surge of relief that rushed through their bonds and smiled as well, Chan snuggling even closer into his side and Minghao behind him using the chance to rest his chin on the Wielder's shoulder, still eyeing the Warrior in front of them with lingering suspicion.

"Are you okay?" Jisoo asked, immediately worried after noticing Mingyu's eerily blank face.

"He didn't relapse, did he?" Chan whispered, his eyebrows scrunched together.

"I don't think so," Seokmin answered hesitantly and waved his hand in front of the Warrior's face, who recoiled at the sudden motion. They breathed a collective sigh of relief at the reaction.

"Mingyu, are you okay?" Jisoo tried again, his voice tinged with concern, and this time the Warrior finally responded.

"I- What-? Why the hell did you do that?!" He jumped to his feet and took a threatening step towards the Wielder, lifting his fists as if he was prepared to punch the answer out of him if necessary.

Jisoo recoiled, confused by the enraged question and intimidated by the Warrior's threatening stance and his impressive height. In a single smooth motion, his Guardians moved in between them, separating them, while Minghao remained behind him, glowering at the tall Warrior, his hands firmly placed on Jisoo's shoulders to keep him from toppling over.

_Wham._

The Wielder flinched at the loud sound and Mingyu gasped audibly when his back hit the shelf at the other end of the room. Multiple bottles fell at the impact and burst into colourful shards and liquids. In vain he struggled against the force that pinned him to the flat surface, knocking over even more bottles in the process.

"How fucking dare you threaten him after he saved your worthless life! He should've left you in that god damn backyard, you ungrateful bastard!"

Mingyu's back hit the shelf a second time and he groaned, closing his eyes in pain.

"Stop! Stop it, Minghao, don't hurt him!" The Guardians had to prevent Jisoo from stepping right into the broken glass in his attempt to get to the restrained Warrior - but he fought against their grip with enough force to pull them forward slightly. At his words, Minghao released his invisible hold and Mingyu tumbled to the wet floor in a heap, his face reddened.

"Everyone calm down," Seokmin ordered. "And stop that, Soo; you'll cut open your feet and then I'll have to heal you."

The Wielder deflated at once and Chan sent the Healer a stealthy little grin, getting a wink in return. They both knew that Jisoo hated it when Seokmin had to endure pain for his sake.

"What's going on?!" Mingyu's voice was breathless and he was visibly shaken. He paid no attention to the shards cutting through his clothes and into his skin. "You're his Forcebearers?!"

"Got a problem with that?" Hostility dripped from Chan's voice at his disbelief and the Wielder sent him a warning look, causing the younger to swallow the words he wanted to spit into Mingyu's face.

Unbothered by his aggressive tone, the Warrior kept staring at the Forcebearers. "Why are you standing up for him?!"

"Well, we chose him as our Wielder, of course we take care of him. He does the same for us after all," Seokmin answered, a smile tugging at his lips, and playfully tousled Jisoo's hair who poked his side in return.

Mingyu looked as if his world had just stopped turning. "But- but _how_?! Aren't you scared of getting punished? Isn't the bond hurting you? Why would you _want_ to be close to a _Wielder_?!" He emphasized the last word as if it left a horrible aftertaste in his mouth.

While the Forcebearers looked offended on their Wielder's behalf, Jisoo nodded in sympathy. "I think you might be a bit biased," Mingyu's attempt at a harsh reply was cut short by Minghao's dark gaze which promised pain, "and I don't blame you at all after what you've gone through. But please believe me when I say that I only forcebonded you because I wanted to help you! I'm so sorry that I caused you pain," the Wielder pleaded, regret clearly visible in his features.

It was obvious that this was the first apology Mingyu had ever gotten from a Wielder and that he had absolutely no idea how to react to it. After a tension filled pause, he nodded awkwardly, avoiding Jisoo's eyes. "Well, I guess it got me back to normal... thanks. I guess."

Jisoo smiled at his flushed cheeks and the flush grew even darker.

Silence descended over the room once again while the tall Warrior tried to come to terms with the new turn of events until Seokmin cleared his throat. "Let's move to the living room? It's more comfortable and I'd like to take a look at your cuts," he proposed and Mingyu nodded wordlessly.

Chan looked sceptical and examined the mess of liquids and shards on the floor that separated them from the door. "How do we get over there without bleeding to death?"

Minghao ended up using his ability to move the broken pieces into a corner of the room while everyone carefully stepped around the puddles of what presumably had been rather expensive wine. He didn't look happy.

 

Once Jisoo was in the kitchen to prepare tea (he had insisted on it) and everyone else was seated on the couch - except for Mingyu who had chosen the armchair - Seokmin went over to examine the cuts that littered the Warrior's arms and legs. Minghao and Chan decidedly ignored his existence.

"I should get paid for taking care of you," the Guardian remarked, eyeing a particularly deep cut with disdain. "That's gonna hurt."

"It doesn't. Just leave it alone; I don't need your help," Mingyu huffed and tried to pull his arm out of Seokmin's grasp.

"Not a chance; Jisoo would eat me alive," the Guardian replied distractedly. "It's not like I'm doing it for you anyway. After your stunt earlier, I wouldn't mind you bleeding dry." Even the other Bonded flinched at the uncharacteristically sharp edge in his voice while Mingyu blanched and stopped struggling against his grip. "But Jisoo doesn't like it when someone is injured, so I'm gonna help you out." His usual, friendly tone had returned and he sent the tall Warrior a sunny smile, who eyed him warily.

"Crazy, all of them," Mingyu muttered after a moment of silence with a shake of his head before he spoke a bit louder, "What're you gonna do anyway; you didn't even bring band ai- woah." Wide eyed he watched as his cuts vanished, leaving behind streaks of dried blood. "Wow. Okay. I was wondering why I didn't have a single scratch when I woke up, even though- never mind. What was it like when you found me?"

"You were unconscious, had multiple broken bones and some really deep gashes. It took a lot out of Seokmin to heal you," Jisoo said while balancing a tray with mugs through the living room door, closing it behind him with a well aimed swing of his hips. "I'm not sure if you'd be here now if it wasn't for him. And thanks for healing him again, Minnie; are you okay?"

"I'm great, no worries." The Guardian tiredly sat down next to Chan while Jisoo handed out tea and Mingyu shook his head at the fact that Forcebearers got served by a Wielder. When Jisoo had squeezed himself in between Chan and Minghao, all eyes focused on the Warrior who seemed to shrink in his armchair.

"So. You killed Taeyang and Daesung and somehow lived to tell the tale. Why's that?" the redhead asked bluntly, causing Jisoo to cringe at his choice of words.

"I'm not sure. I can only remember the times I wasn't under Seungri's influence, everything else is a blurry mess."

"How convenient," Minghao scoffed but stopped talking after Jisoo's pointy elbow met his ribs.

"I can't force you to believe me but everything I'm saying is one-hundred percent true! They almost killed me; why would I lie?!"

" _Almost_ being the keyword here. They could've shot you point blank or something but they didn't and I honestly don't understand why," Seokmin pointed out, his gaze calculating. "After all you killed two of their best men."

A drawn out pause filled the room.

Everyone jumped when Mingyu hit the armrest with enough force to send a pillow flying. "Fuck! I don't want to talk about all the shit that's happened, okay?! I don't even know you people!"

Feeling the temper of his Bonded rise dangerously, Jisoo immediately tried to defuse the situation. "Okay! You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to." Mingyu visibly relaxed at his words although the other Forcebearers sent their Wielder incredulous looks. "To be honest, I don't really want to get sucked any deeper into anything related to this gang, so it's probably better for us to not know any details. How about you finish your tea and then you can leave after trying on some of the clothes Minghao prepared? You probably shouldn't walk down the streets in that get up." His eyes rested on the Warrior's bare, muscular legs before he quickly averted them.

The look he received from Mingyu was filled with disbelief. "You'd really let me leave?"

The Wielder raised his eyebrows at the implication. "Of course. Although I'm not so sure if it's safe. Do you have a place to stay?"

Mingyu's face fell immediately and Jisoo's stomach dropped at the sight. "Well, I had one... three years ago. I don't think I can go back." The Warrior took another pillow and squeezed it, avoiding the eyes of the people seated on the couch. "The person I've stayed with is not there anymore anyway." Everyone flinched when he laughed without even the slightest hint of joy and threw the pillow against the wall. "Damn, my life is completely fucked up. You should've just left me in whatever ditch you found me in."

"Come on, don't say that. I'm sure we can find a place for you to stay until you get something on your own," Jisoo offered at once but Mingyu's frown didn't soften in the slightest.

Instead he scoffed. "You have no idea what you're talking about. You live here in your comfortable little bubble with your happy Forcebearers but my life is different." Running his fingers through his dirty, shaggy hair, he grimaced. When he continued, pain was lacing his voice. "They got Wonwoo because of me and now they got Vernon as well. It's all my god damn fault. I'll never be able to live this down!"

 


	37. Anger

"Wait, what? Wonwoo? The guy who almost killed you?!" Jisoo asked, visibly stunned by the revelation. The eyes of his Bonded flitted from the tall Warrior to him.

Mingyu examined him, brows still drawn into a frown. "How do you know?"

With flushed cheeks, the Wielder hung his head in shame and avoided the piercing gaze. "I a-asked about it while you were still under Seungri's influence. I'm sorry."

After a moment of tense silence, the Warrior sighed. "I don't blame you; I'd probably do the same thing. But yeah, the same guy." Uneasily, he took a tentative sip of his tea and grimaced at the strong herbal taste before he continued. "I said I wouldn't talk about it but I'm pretty much out of options right now, so I guess there's not much else left to do."

"You really don't have to if you're uncomfortable," Jisoo reassured and Mingyu sent him a small smile - the first since he had woken up. It made his face look much softer, erasing some of the harsh lines, and the Wielder once again marvelled at how handsome the male was before he forced himself to stay focused.

"Well, I think your Forcebearers want to know anyway," Mingyu said with a shrug and everyone apart from the Wielder nodded.

"So. Wonwoo. It's a weird story actually. I don't really know what to make of it either and I can't really remember most of it which makes it even harder to understand his reasons. He was my best friend all throughout elementary school but he moved away right before we entered middle school. I remember throwing a massive fit because of it." He smiled again at the memory, brighter this time, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia. "He returned by himself in high school, just before I turned seventeen, and we got along but not as well as back then. He still offered to take me in when my parents kicked me to the curb, though. Living with him was nice but he was kinda reclusive and didn't interact all that much with me or others. I mean, he was a quiet kid in elementary school too, but he'd always open up to me." Mingyu rose to pick up the pillow he had thrown at the wall earlier, before he slumped back into the armchair, hugging it. "I don't really know what's happened to him or his family during the time he was gone because he never talked about it. I think it might've had something to do with the Organisation. Maybe his parents sent him back to Seoul to hide or something, no clue. Well, everything was fine until I met my former Wielder." His gaze had turned steely and his body stiffened in anger. Jisoo watched him with concern but decided not to interrupt. "A few months after my eighteenth birthday, I came home after school and found a guy standing in front of our building. He said he had a delivery for Jeon Wonwoo but couldn't find the apartment. If I could show him the way. I told him that I was his roommate and offered to give the package to Wonwoo, but he insisted that he needed a signature from him. Like an idiot, I brought that bastard to our apartment... god, I was so stupid." The Warrior's voice broke and he buried his face in his hands. His next words were muffled. "It's all my damn fault."

After a few long seconds, Jisoo couldn't bear it anymore. He got up and slowly moved towards the Warrior. His Bonded stayed behind on the sofa, tense and worried about their Wielder's safety, but Jisoo only sent them a calming smile when their concern reached him. After Mingyu had made no attempt to stop him, he sat down on the armrest of the armchair and started rubbing the shaking shoulders of the other. To everyone's surprise, the Warrior leaned into the touch and hid his face in the Wielder's chest. Jisoo could feel tears seeping through his shirt while he ran his fingers through the shaggy hair until Mingyu had calmed down.

When the Warrior resurfaced, his face was red but he looked a lot less tense. Awkwardly he moved out of the Wielder's arms into the corner of the armchair furthest away from Jisoo, who got the hint and went back to his original seat between Minghao and Chan.

"Sorry about that. Won't happen again. Uhm, yes, Wonwoo." Mingyu still seemed frazzled but he tried to cover it up as much as he could. "So, Jiyong came and I stupidly brought him into our flat and called for Wonwoo and once he stepped into the room everything went to hell. I'm still not sure what exactly happened back then; it was all way too fast. I think Jiyong had a knife or something hidden somewhere. Anyway, the next thing I knew was that I had a bleeding gash on my cheek and Jiyong was pointing a gun at Wonwoo, saying that if I don't bond with him, he would shoot my friend."

At the mention of guns, Jisoo paled and pressed himself against Minghao's side, who wrapped a protective arm around him.

"Well, there wasn't much I could do, right? Wonwoo begged me to stop but I couldn't just watch my childhood friend get shot; of course I accepted. That contract was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced." The Warrior released a shuddering breath before he continued. "Once I was caught, Jiyong used me to get Wonwoo. Nobody knew my rank back then, myself included; I only got forcebonded because they assumed that Wonwoo would agree to their demands after they'd gotten me. I know that at least you two," he nodded towards Seokmin and Minghao, "are rank five, so you know what happens when Wielders find out. I'm high ranking too, which probably saved my life since they didn't just get rid of me once they had Wonwoo in a contract. After a while they got Seungri to tame me though, 'cause I was a pretty rebellious kid." He smiled a very bitter smile and punched the pillow. "But Wonwoo did everything they asked of him; he never said or did anything he wasn't supposed to and just followed along. From time to time he would make suggestions and got praised for it; he's clever and Jiyong noticed that quickly. He actually thinks pretty highly of Wonwoo; he even let him keep his part-time job at a Chinese restaurant. I guess gang life is his thing after all," Mingyu scoffed, his face scrunched up in disgust but his eyes held sadness.

"Did you ever find out why they wanted him so bad?" Seokmin asked after a few beats of silence.

The Warrior sighed and squished the pillow. "Same reason all Wielders want Forcebearers: He's one of the Others and his ability is valuable. Valuable enough for the head of the Organization to personally come to collect him." He snorted but he couldn't quite hide the sorrow in his expression. "He sees stuff, you know? Not in a vision kinda way but he sees the bond between Forcebearer and Wielder and - the most important part for the Organisation - he can determine the rank of bonded Forcebearers without seeing their mark. They got quite a few high ranking people through him; I don't think I want to know what's happened to the Wielders though."

Minghao whistled through his teeth while Chan moved closer to a tense-looking Jisoo, entwining their fingers. "Damn. Of course they would want him; that sounds awfully convenient. So this Jiyong character, your former Wielder, is the leader of the whole thing? Man, that makes everything a hell of a lot worse," the redhead said, his face tense. "I've only heard rumours about GD but I always counted myself lucky that I never had to deal with him. Given that you were his Forcebearer, I guess it's not too surprising that you ended up half-dead in a backyard." He flinched when Jisoo's elbow met his side in response to his insensitive words. With an apologetic grin, he reached out to ruffle his Wielder's hair.

"But what _exactly_ happened?" Chan asked, thinly veiled curiosity lacing his voice.

Mingyu sighed again and pressed the pillow harder against his chest, his expression miserable. "That's actually the part I'd rather forget about but now that I've started already..." He took another sip of tea before he continued. "Like I said, they forced me to meet Seungri because I acted up too much and not even getting punished could keep me in line for too long. After that everything is fuzzy. Seungri's ability works a bit like a battery: he can only use it once before he needs to recharge for a few days but the effects last for about three weeks. Apparently he used it on me a while ago, but went on a trip? Mission? I have no idea; he wasn't there to renew it at least, and I was getting more and more conscious while he was gone. Nobody noticed a thing though, because I just continued acting as if everything was the same as usual and I guess everyone just assumed that he had renewed it before he left. Also two major things were happening at the time which probably helped me stay undetected as well: There was a big trade coming up between Daesung and a rivalling gang and Jiyong was busy coordinating everything; and, starting around the time I gained consciousness, another group had begun to wipe out smaller hideouts, killing some of the less relevant bosses. It caused quite a stir since everyone assumed that they had a mole in their ranks who was leaking information. It happened a few times that Jiyong had to send me out to stop them from fighting each other over random accusations." Mingyu looked quite amused at the memory.

"How did you get them to stop?" Chan probed and the Warrior grinned.

"I'd been with Jiyong for over two years; they knew me by then. Usually it was enough to just show my face. I think he sent me out five times in those two weeks before everything went down the drain and it was on the third trip that I met the guys who were responsible for the whole mess." He leaned back, the pillow on his lap, and took another sip of tea. "I guess they were scouting the area around the main building and must've seen me looking for a way out. When they first approached me, I thought they wanted to fight but they just introduced themselves and said that they were planning to blow up Jiyong's house and asked if I could help them out. Those maniacs." He shook his head, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "They would fit well into your group, you know? It seems they'd gotten help from some of the Forcebearers in the lower ranks of the Organisation and that's how they were able to cause so much damage in such a short time. Anyway. I got rid of that idea real quick by telling them that they wouldn't even get close to the house without getting noticed, but that they should try to get Daesung instead since he'd be out for the trade thingy a few days later. Afterwards we met everytime I was sent out on an errand and, long story short, on the night of the trade I managed to tag along with Daesung and Taeyang as reinforcement while the guys somehow cleared the building and rigged the meeting place with the bomb they had originally planned to use for Jiyong. And then they blew them all up."

Mingyu was visibly satisfied with the outcome while Minghao looked anything but. "What the- how did they not notice the empty building? How am I supposed to believe Daesung and Taeyang, two of the highest ranking members of the Organisation, just walked into a random, clearly suspicious place and got blown to bits? They're way too careful for stuff like that," he spat, his arm around Jisoo tightening.

It didn't take a second for Mingyu's satisfied grin to morph into irritation at the redhead's constant distrust and he got up from the armchair, causing the Guardians to move closer to Jisoo once again, while Minghao jumped to his feet as well. The height difference was quite impressive but the redhead's anger was by no means less intense than the anger of the tall Warrior.

"What's your fucking problem, huh? You want to know how?! Fine! I used my ability, okay?! That's how I got out of that fucking house in the first place since the plan wouldn't have worked without me!" He spread his arms wide and Minghao took a wary step back, but the Warrior only glared at him. "I'm an Illusionist. I can make people experience things that are not there, in a way that feels completely life-like to them. It's easy for me to trick people into thinking stuff; trust me, I got forced to do it often enough. I can blind people, torture them, make them feel like they're drowning, burning, dying - all the good stuff, while in reality they're just standing around, easy targets."

The tall Warrior was breathing heavily after his outburst but he seemed to have somewhat collected himself and continued in a calmer voice, while Minghao slowly sat back down, sharp gaze never leaving him.

"I got them to take me along by tricking Jiyong and Daesung into thinking that the other had requested it. I lured Taeyang and Daesung inside the building by making them believe that everything was going as planned; that everyone was already there, waiting for them, while the actual room was empty. Of course they were suspicious but when everything looks, feels, smells the way it should, why would you run?" He shook his head and combed his fingers through his hair, walking in circles. "The only problem was that we didn't really have time to figure out a way for me to leave before everything went down since I need to concentrate and be in close proximity to the person I'm using my ability on. In the end our plan was that they would give me a signal a few seconds before the detonation and I'd try to reach the hatch to one of the wine-cellars."

Seokmin raised a sceptical eyebrow at the many ways that strategy could go wrong.

"Well, it worked somewhat, I guess. I directed both of them quite close to the bomb and then I ran, but Daesung figured it out quicker than I thought he would and came after me. He got caught in the blast but not as much as Taeyang, and I got thrown headfirst against a wall and passed out. Next thing I knew was that I was back in Jiyong's house and he stood in front of me. Not a nice sight, I tell you." He visibly shuddered and sat back down, fingers kneading the pillow once again. "I don't think you want to hear the rest."

"Of course we do," Minghao blurted before Jisoo could stop him and he earned himself an glare from the Wielder.

"Of course you do. Why am I not surprised." Mingyu laughed joylessly and Jisoo's heart hurt at the sad sound.

"You really don't have to. We saw the wounds so I think everyone knows what happened," Seokmin said and the Warrior looked relieved at his words.

"But who's Vernon? You mentioned him earlier and I can't stop thinking about the name because I'm sure I've heard it before," Chan asked, forehead wrinkled in thought.

"I think Hansol mentioned him before," Jisoo pointed out. "I've been thinking about it too."

Mingyu's relief vanished without a trace and his expression turned miserable at once. "He's one of the guys who set everything up. I'm pretty sure they got him because of me."

"What happened?" Jisoo's voice was gentle and the Warrior looked at him as if he was drowning and searching for a way to save himself. Fighting the urge to walk over for the second time, the Wielder leaned back against the couch.

"I... They... urgh." Mingyu took a deep breath to calm himself. "They told Wonwoo to get information out of me but I didn't rat them out," he blurted after a moment of hesitation, speaking so fast the other's needed a moment to unravel his words. Once they had made sense of it, Jisoo gripped Chan's hand harder and Minghao's arm around him tightened. "I think it went on for several days. It was almost too painful but it never got to the point where it was absolutely unbearable. Jiyong wasn't happy about the lack of information, so he ordered Seungri to take over and Wonwoo to get rid of me once he knew everything he wanted to know."

A somewhat awkward silence filled the room while nobody really knew what to say. Seokmin finally broke it. "That's horrible; I'm glad you made it out alive. I still don't really get how you know that he got caught, though?"

Sighing wearily, Mingyu rubbed his eyes. He looked tired and defeated. "The thing about Seungri's ability is that you're not really conscious while it's in effect, so you can't really remember stuff that's happened. But your body is still working the way it's supposed to, you see and hear things, right? They just get stored somewhere in your subconscious and sometimes they randomly pop up." He hesitated once again and his voice got so quiet that the people on the couch had to lean forward to understand him. "There's this image of Vernon stuck in my head: I don't think he's fully conscious but he's looking at me while he's getting dragged by the hair by Seunghyun, Jiyong's favourite Forcebearer. He was such a loud, bold guy when I first met him but he looks so incredibly vulnerable at that moment. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget this." His voice broke once again and he hid his face in the pillow. Jisoo looked like he was about to cry as well but Chan's warm fingers helped him stay calm. "I knew more about him than about the other guy because he talked way too much. That trusting idiot even blurted out their regular meeting spot and I'm pretty sure that's the information that got him caught."

"The other guy? How many members did that group have?" Minghao asked, deflecting Jisoo's elbow before it could meet his side to keep him in line.

Mingyu hiccuped but answered, looking up from the pillow. "Two."

Pure disbelieve was written in the redhead's face at the revelation. "Two-? You laid your life in the hands of two people?! Against the Organisation? Are you fucking nuts?! The way you talked about them, it sounded as if it was some sort of gang or something!"

Somehow Minghao seemed to have the unique talent to change Mingyu's mood to anger whenever he opened his mouth. "Well, what the hell was I supposed to do?! Wait for Seungri and live as a mindless puppet for the rest of my god damn life? No thanks, I'd rather die!"

"Well congratulations, you almost did," Minghao sneered with a roll of his eyes and Mingyu looked like he wanted to throw his cup in his face. "The second guy didn't get caught?"

"I've only met them three times in the first place and I haven't seen him since. But I think he's more level headed; Vernon said that Jun usually stays out of trouble, so-"

"J-Jun?!" Jisoo's voice sounded unnaturally high in his ears and Mingyu stopped talking instantly at the sight of the pale faces on the couch.

"Why? Something wrong?"

"That Jun guy you mentioned, what does he look like?" Minghao's demeanor was dangerously calm, but something was brewing under the surface and this time it was Jisoo who wrapped an arm around him to keep him from exploding.

The tall Warrior warily eyed them before he answered the question. "Uhm, almost as tall as me, dark hair, dark eyes, Chinese accent similar to yours - it's weird that Vernon doesn't have one although they said they're brothers."

"Fuck." Chan quickly covered his mouth with his hands and glanced at Jisoo, but the Wielder was too busy staring wide-eyed at the Warrior to care about the younger's language.

The pictures on the walls began to rattle, some of them falling and breaking, until not even Jisoo could contain Minghao's fury. "Those god-damn idiots! Didn't they say they were leaving the country?! Why do they always have to do shit like this?! And I'm sitting here, worrying, while they decide to play fucking Batman," he raged and everyone held on for their dear lives when the furniture started to shake as well.

"What's going on?" Mingyu dared to ask, watching the fuming Warrior while clinging to one of the armrests.

"Those guys you've met were in a contract with Jisoo before they decided to leave about three weeks ago. They've been part of the Organisation before and I guess Vernon was a nickname he used there since we only know him by his birth name, Hansol. Jun was especially close with Minghao from what I know; he and Jisoo have been worrying about them ever since they've left," Seokmin explained, Chan holding onto his shoulder, while Jisoo still tried to calm Minghao.

The situation eased when the Wielder hugged his Bonded and whispered comforting words in his ear until the Warrior relaxed and his ability stopped wrecking havoc. "But what do we do?" he asked brokenly from the safety of Jisoo's arms, hands tightly clasping the Wielder's shirt. "They beat Hansol to a pulp and we have no clue if Jun is still alive."

"Can't we go to the police? This is all way too dangerous," Seokmin suggested but Mingyu shook his head at once.

"Jiyong is too influential; they wouldn't do anything, especially not without proof. And as soon as the Organisation finds out I'm still alive, I'll have a serious problem. And you too, since you took me in," Mingyu said and the Healer looked even more unsettled at the prospect. Chan bit his lip and tried to hide his fear but Seokmin still patted his head in an attempt to comfort him.

Finally, after several long minutes of heavy silence, Jisoo let go of Minghao and gently freed himself from his hold. He got up and walked towards the front door, alarming the Forcebearers present.

"Hyung, where are you going?"

Jisoo turned back, eyebrows drawn together and gaze cold. "I need to make some calls."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get down to business ;)


	38. Countdown

Jisoo woke up with a start, heart racing and sweaty body tangled in the sheets. How his restless tossing and turning hadn't woken up Chan and Seokmin, who were sleeping soundly right next to him, was completely beyond him, but he frantically tried to control the sobs that still escaped his dry lips. The usual dreams of blood, guns and Hansol's face had been haunting him - for the second night in a row since Mingyu had revealed the Warrior's fate two days ago, robbing him of his much needed sleep and making him even more wary of the rescue attempt that was supposed to take place in approximately 24 hours.

After he had managed to calm down without waking anyone, he slowly got up from the makeshift bed - consisting of Minghao's thick carpet, a pile of blankets and fluffy pillows - and sneaked his way towards the kitchen to get some water, careful not to trip over any splayed limbs in the darkness. To his surprise a warm glow was emanating through the cracks of the door, causing him to stop short and look around in an attempt to count the blanket covered bodies on the floor.

After a moment of hesitation, he knocked. Not long after, the door opened and Mingyu stood in front of him, Seokmin's pyjamas just a few centimetres too short around his ankles.

They examined each other - Mingyu taking in the wet streaks on the Wielder's face while Jisoo noted the unnatural paleness of the Warrior's skin - before Mingyu motioned him to enter. After he had quietly closed the door, the Warrior leaned against it, dark eyes focused on Jisoo. "Rough night again? You were awake yesterday too."

The Wielder had walked straight to the water kettle and had started filling it, turning his back to the other to avoid the prying gaze. "Mh, I have trouble sleeping. Why are you awake? Do you want tea too?"

"Yeah, that horrible concoction kinda grew on me. Similar reason I guess: I think too much and can't sleep 'cause of it." He remained quiet for a moment, watching the Wielder prepare the mugs before he continued. "Some of the stuff I did for Jiyong haunts me."

Jisoo turned around abruptly, teabags still in his hands, catching the Warrior off-guard. "Nothing you did was your fault in any possible way," the Wielder exclaimed. His voice held unusual urgency and his gaze pinned the Warrior to the door, who fidgeted uneasily.

"It's not like I'm blaming myself or anything; it's just... I can't help it. He loved using my ability for his sick mind-games." It took visible effort for Mingyu to speak about what was bothering him and he moved from his place at the door to the table to sit down. "But anyway. Do you think your plan will work?" he asked, changing topics when the Wielder took a seat across from him and pushed the mug in his direction.

The smile Jisoo managed to muster was dimmed by worry. "I hope so."

"You know that there are way too many outside factors we don't have any control over and that we're relying heavily on luck for the most part... We might die tomorrow." Mingyu's piercing gaze softened at the desperation that flashed over Jisoo's face. Reaching over the table, he gingerly ran his fingers over the Wielder's hands, gently loosening their tight grip on the mug. "But there's a way to boost our chances by quite a bit."

 

"Is this really okay? I don't want you to force yourself."

"I'm betraying my biggest principle right now; stop doubting me, I'm doubting myself already. I just hope it'll be worth it and we get him back - preferably without dying. Gimme the knife before I change my mind."

With obvious hesitation, Jisoo handed over the small knife they had brought from the kitchen and watched warily as Mingyu held it over his already scarred wrist.  
"But don't cut too dee-" He closed his eyes when the sharp blade cleanly sliced through pale skin, causing blood to drip onto the floor next to the mattress.

"Hurry or Minghao will kill me for making a mess again."

Pointedly looking away from Mingyu's arm, Jisoo took the knife and flinched in pain when he cut his finger. "How are you so unaffected? Doesn't it hurt?" he asked breathlessly while they pressed their wounds together, waiting for their blood to mix.

Just as the Warrior was about to answer, the contract began to wrap around them and Mingyu's whole body tensed. He withdrew as if he had gotten burned by the Wielder's skin.

In vain, Jisoo tried to alleviate the feeling of the forming bond by reaching out and gently rubbing his back. To him, the new contract felt the same as all his other contracts: warm and soothing while holding a hint of the personality of his Bonded - in Mingyu's case an unexpected amount of gentleness - but he worried about his new Warrior and how he was experiencing the bond after all he had gone through.

"Are you okay? Mingyu?" The Warrior was curled up against the wall and Jisoo's concerned frown deepened when no reaction came. "Okay, let's get rid of it; I don't think that was a good idea. Hold on."

The bond finished forming and a wild mixture of feelings hit the Wielder at once, taking his breath away. Frightening amounts of fear, despair and hate were raging through him. It amazed him that the Warrior had been able to restrain himself during the past few days - but below the overwhelming negativity, like small plants fighting their way towards the surface, were curiosity and hope.

Jisoo was still busy sorting through the feelings when Mingyu looked up, his expression filled with wonder. "I can feel you?"

At the disbelieving tone of his Bonded, the Wielder smiled brightly. He nodded. "Yes, I can feel all my Forcebearers. Does anything hurt? Is your wrist okay?"

With a shake of his head, the pale Warrior tried to compose himself. "I'm alright. I think. This is really different from the contracts I've had before, even the one with you."

Jisoo's smile dimmed at the mention of the forcebond. "I'm still sorry about that one... but thank you so much for doing this; I didn't expect you to form a new contract anytime soon."

"You and me both. But my ability will definitely come in handy, so I'll just bear with it for a while. And to be honest, it doesn't feel all that bad." With a tired groan, Mingyu stretched his long limbs and rested his back against the wall.

Leaning back as well, Jisoo tried to suppress a yawn and failed miserably. He rubbed his eyes before he looked back up towards the Warrior who was watching him with a lopsided smile. "Tired?"

"Yes, I didn't sleep well last night either."

"Do you often have nightmares?"

"Depends on the circumstances, I guess. Lately I've had them a lot."

Mingyu frowned and studied his tired face. "Is there something that helps you sleep?"

"Hm... relaxation, maybe? Minghao gives really nice head massages, it lulls me to sleep every time, and Seokmin's ability feels really soothing, he often uses it to calm me down. Also it helps when Chan is all cuddled up to me when he's sleeping."

The Warrior chose not to comment on the last sentence and instead shrugged with a grin. "I've never tried massaging but my ability is not only good for scaring people. Wanna give it a try?"

Curiosity and doubt trickled through the bond and Mingyu rubbed his chest at the foreign feeling, but ultimately curiosity won and his smile widened when Jisoo nodded hesitantly. "Do I need to do anything?"

"No, just lie down and try to relax. Does it bother you if I hold your hand? It's easier for me."

After the Wielder had stretched out on the mattress, he peered at his Bonded from beneath the blanket while reaching out for him. The bond seemed to vibrate happily when their hands came in contact. "But now you don't have anywhere to sleep?"

Playing with Jisoo's fingers in his lap, the Warrior grinned once again, his demeanor much more relaxed than throughout the days he had been staying in the flat. "Now I understand why your Forcebearers are so into you. You're awfully cute," he stated bluntly and Jisoo flushed beet-red, all tiredness gone at once. "And the bond doesn't help either; I would've never thought that a Wielder could be so _good_."

"Good?" Jisoo repeated, confused.

"Yeah. You worry about others, you treat them well, you risk your life for them. Hell, even your feelings are nice from what I can tell so far. I've never met someone like you before and I've only known you for, like, two days."

The Wielder turned an even darker shade of red at his words and Mingyu openly laughed at how flustered he was; a loud and content sound that made Jisoo feel fuzzy. "Never mind, let's start or you'll never be able to sleep." The Warrior squeezed his hand and closed his eyes, while Jisoo tried to calm down again.

It was as if the world had suddenly vanished around him. Gone was the small storage room with its shelves and dim lighting and gone was the Warrior next to him. Instead there was a bright void, white nothingness in which he was floating. It eerily reminded him of the time he had gotten lost while he had tried to cancel Minghao's contract with Daesung and his heart started beating faster in fear. "M-Mingyu? There's nothing here; I-I'm scared..." His words seemed to get swallowed by the endlessness around him, but as soon as he had finished, Mingyu's deep voice echoed through the brightness.

"What do you want to see?"

"C-can't you join me? It's so lonely." An amused chuckle seemed to fill the emptiness and after a few seconds, the Warrior was next to him, still holding his hand.

"Usually people enjoy this place; I didn't think it would make you uncomfortable. Sorry."

"I think I prefer colours over brightness." The moment he had formed the words, specks of colours began to emerge, an endless sea of glittering particles moving slowly in the still nothingness.

"You can create whatever you want, you know? You don't even have to say it out loud, we are basically in your mind right now." Mingyu waved his free hand and the colours close to him began to swirl faster, as if the air had moved them.

Jisoo looked on in fascination before he tried it himself, smiling when his fingers went right through without leaving as much as a trace. "I can think of anything I want?"

"Sure, there are no boundaries as far as I know."

Close by, the colourful specks began to move faster, accumulating and morphing into two people - a woman with Jisoo's kind eyes and a man who looked like an older version of the Wielder.

"Do you miss your parents?" Mingyu asked and Jisoo nodded while he walked over to them, carefully touching his mother's dark hair, who smiled gently at him in response.

"It's good to see them again. Especially my mom, we're pretty close." The figures burst into vibrant colours again, only to form anew. This time there were not only two but eight people. Jeonghan, Seungcheol, Jihoon, Hansol, Jun, Chan, Minghao and Seokmin, all smiling contently.

Mingyu moved behind Jisoo and placed his hands on the Wielder's shoulders. Together they watched the illusions interact with each other, bickering and laughing. "It's nice to see Vernon and Jun like that; I don't think I've ever seen them laugh. Who are the three guys over there? Your friends?"

"They were my Forcebearers as well but they decided to get out of their contracts." Jisoo watched Jihoon glare at Jeonghan while Seungcheol ruffled his hair, one arm loosely wrapped around Jun's waist. "I miss them, even though I usually see them in university." He sighed and turned towards the tall Warrior. "I was wondering if I should write letters to them and my parents in case something happens to me, but I don't want to put them in any unnecessary danger. And I don't want to make them sad." His parents had joined the Forcebearers, his mother hugging Chan while his father was talking to Seokmin and Jihoon. Jisoo watched them for a moment before he continued. "It's bad enough that you and the others are coming with me. I'm so scared that something might happen."

The despair that washed through the bond made Mingyu's stomach clench and he silently wrapped his arms around the Wielder, not knowing what to say to ease his fear, while the shimmering particles danced around them and laughter filled the still endlessness.

 

Chan's arm was too heavy on top of his chest and Jisoo whined in protest when he groggily tried to push it off. Instead of moving away, it held on even tighter and pulled him into a warm and sturdy body. Without opening his eyes, he hid his face in Chan's chest, sleepily wondering when it had gotten so broad but too tired to spend much thought on it.

The epiphany came in form of a husky groan that sounded way too deep to belong to the small Guardian. Jisoo's eyes flew open - only to be met with the checkered fabric of Seokmin's pyjama. Carefully he pulled back and froze when he came face to face with Mingyu, frowning in his sleep, a similar groan escaping him for the second time. (Jisoo tried fruitlessly to convince himself that he wasn't bothered by it - the heat in his stomach was only because he was hungry). Their bond strummed softly in his chest, a mixture of fear and sadness seeping through it, and the Wielder hesitated to follow his original plan of getting out of the tight grip and inconspicuously returning to the living room. When a new wave of anguish hit him, he decided against it and instead began to trace the lines of Mingyu's face with the tips of his fingers, massaging the worried frown away with light touches. The Warrior visibly relaxed at the skin contact, their bond warming up in Jisoo's chest, and the pain that had run through it got replaced by happiness.

Jisoo smiled and carefully moved into a more comfortable position, still watching the other for any signs of fear and sadness. When no signs came, he relaxed and allowed his thoughts to drift. He pondered who would wake them when it was time to get up for university and the thought of Chan, who would probably hold another long sermon about how much he hated it when the Wielder left the bed without a word, made him smile. With a content sigh, he snuggled closer to Mingyu, their noses almost touching, and closed his eyes.

 

Jisoo had not been impressed when Chan had jumped on him to wake him up and neither had been Mingyu. The pouting Guardian was still rubbing the sore spots where the Warrior had held him down - his instincts had kicked in before he had been able to properly assess the situation - and Seokmin was sitting next to him, eating his omelette seemingly without the slightest concern.

"You could at least heal me. It hurts, you know?"

"You totally deserved it; there's no need to scare people just because you're annoyed," Seokmin said, raising an eyebrow at Chan's frown while Minghao grinned into his coffee. "And I prefer to stay pain-free as well, thank you very much."

"Stop sulking and eat your eggs, Chan; we need all the energy we can get today," Jisoo said in his typical motherly way but with a hidden edge in his voice and the room turned quiet at the indirect mention of what was to come.

The tension had been subtle but it had been there ever since they had woken up. It got visible in the way Minghao flinched at every unexpected sound, Chan's moodiness, Seokmin's quietness and Minggyu's excessive reaction to Chan's little attack. The way Jisoo had used Chan's regular name instead of his usual affectionate 'Channie' only further proved that all of them were trying to hide how much the upcoming events scared them.

 

Seokmin was washing the dishes when Jisoo joined him, fully dressed and ready to leave for university. Without a word, the Wielder took the kitchen towel and began drying the plates the Guardian handed him. It took a while for them to break the tense silence.

"If anything goes wrong, promise me that you'll run," Jisoo said, not looking up from his towel and Seokmin turned towards him, eyes wide in disbelief.

"You can't expect me to leave you behind, seriously, Jisoo."

"That's exactly what I'm expecting you to do. And all the others as well." He looked up. "You barely know Hansol, the only reason you decided to join is because of me. If they catch me, they can forcebond you and I'm not going to let that happen. Promise that you'll run, Minnie."

Seokmin wiped his hands on the apron he was wearing and tried to muster his usual sunny smile. "Come on, let's not think that negatively. Nothing will happen."

"Seokmin, I'm not joking. I'm not taking you with me if you can't swear that you'll put your own safety above everything else."

"I can't. I seriously can't! I'm sorry but you're my Wielder and my best friend and you're just way too important to me to leave you behind in a place like this!" The Healer looked like he was about to cry out of frustration while Jisoo remained stoic, no feelings trickling through the bond. "And you'll need me if Hansol is in a similar shape to Mingyu!" Ruffling his hair in irritation at the calmness of the Wielder, Seokmin grabbed his arms, shaking him lightly. "Come on, don't make me promise! Please!"

"Minnie, I'm not going to let you-" Jisoo froze, eyes wide, at the feeling of Seokmin's lips against his. The kiss was filled with urgency and ended as quickly as it had begun when the Guardian pulled back and examined his face, a faint blush spreading on his cheeks.

It took a moment for the Wielder to process what had happened but then he smiled, his cheeks dusted pink as well. At this sight, Seokmin didn't hesitate any longer and leaned back in. The second kiss was gentle, filled with affection and unspoken words. The soothing tingle Jisoo had come to associate with the Healer's ability ran down his spine, only adding to the fluttery sensation in his stomach and he sighed quietly when they separated at the sound of a door closing somewhere in Minghao's flat. Seokmin was still close, his hands running through the Wielder's hair and over his cheeks, before he left a peck on his forehead and searched his eyes. With a gentle smile, Jisoo reached out and wrapped his arms around his Bonded, burying his face in the crook of Seokmin's neck.

"I still need you to promise, though."

 

"Goodbye, cruel world. Why do I have to spend my last day on earth in university?" Seungkwan groaned dramatically and pretended to faint when he flopped onto his chair at the group's usual lunch table. It had gotten quite crowded again with the addition of the Clairvoyance Guardian and some other new faces.

"To go over some last issues. Also stop being over-dramatic, you're not even going to be near it anyway," Zelo said and set down his overflowing tray. The Guardian made no attempt to hide his disgust at the wild mixture of foods on the other's plate and opened his dessert first while Zelo happily ignored his depreciating looks. "When are the others coming?"

Seungkwan's face turned blank for a few seconds and a glob of vanilla pudding dripped from his spoon onto his shirt. "Jisoo and Bonded are almost here, no idea about the rest," he replied once he had found his way back into reality.

"Very helpful; I hope you'll do a better job tonight," Himchan said with a sarcastic roll of his eyes and the Guardian shot him a dismayed look, waving his spoon dismissively.

"Jisoo is my Wielder, but remind me again: Why should I care about you?"

"Now, now, let's all get along. And technically Jisoo isn't your Wielder," Yongguk interrupted Himchan's upcoming sermon and sat down next to Zelo.

"Yet." Seungkwan's grin was so smug it almost hurt to look at. "He will be in approximately eight days," he took an exaggerated look at his wrist watch, "seven hours and twenty-three minutes."

"Well, at least that means you both will still be alive. Which is a plus, I guess," a smooth voice behind the Guardian said and everyone looked up to greet the newcomers.

"Ain't it enough to chat in text? I don't wanna be seen with you losers," Jackson complained, a frown deeply engraved in his face, while Yugyeom and an intimidating male with multiple dangling silver earrings stood behind him.

"Nice to see you too, Jackson," Yongguk only said and nodded towards the free chairs across him, forcing Jackson to sit down without any more delay, Yugyeom obliging happily. The student who had spoken first chose a seat next to Jongup and the quiet male shrunk slightly at the close proximity and scary aura of the other.

"Stop complaining, you were the one who wanted to tag along."

"'Course I'll come, you're _my_ Forcebearers," Jackson spat and started shovelling food into his mouth.

"Nobody is trying to take them away from you," Daehyun reassured and took the seat next to Jongup, who was visibly relieved at the presence of his Wielder.

"When's Jisoo-hyung coming?" Yugyeom piped up and Jackson grimaced behind his back.

Seungkwan grinned at the question. "In five, four, three, two, one-"

"I'm so sorry! The prof wouldn't stop talking, have you been waiting long?" Jisoo was wheezing while holding onto his tray and the Forcebearers behind him didn't look much better.

"We just came too," Yugyeom chirped and pulled out the chair next to him for Jisoo - a frown darkening his face when Chan sat on it with a smug look.

Jisoo, Seokmin and Soonyoung sat down as well, the Wielder glancing around nervously for any trace of the people still absent. "The others didn't arrive yet, did they?"

"Do you see them anywhere?" Jackson snapped, causing Jisoo to flush and the rest of the table to stare at Jackson in disapproval until he focused back on his food.

"Not yet but I'm sure they'll be here any minute," Yongguk said with his usual gummy smile and Jisoo relaxed slightly.

"Why's he here, though? He's not part of the plan," the student that had arrived together with Jackson and Yugyeom stated and pointed his fork at Soonyoung, who was busy devouring his Tonkatsu.

The blond Forcebearer swallowed a massive piece of meat and grinned brightly. "But I wanna be; I could totally help you out!"

"No." Jisoo's voice was much more stern than usual. "There's no reason for you to get involved as well, Soonyoung; we've talked about that already." His expression turned guilty at the puppy eyes directed at him but he remained firm nonetheless and after a few moments the other nodded reluctantly.

"But wouldn't it be safer to have more people? I still don't get why you don't want to ask those three guys from yesterday," the student said, his frown making him look even more intimidating, and he wasn't the only one at the table who clearly doubted Jisoo's decision.

"We're only involving as many people as absolutely necessary and Jeonghan's parents are pretty well known; there's no way I'm getting him into some sort of gang-related trouble. Also more people wouldn't help achieve our goal, quite the opposite actually. But you really don't need to worry, Jaebum. You and Yugyeom will stay as far away as possible and Yongguk will help you out, just like planned." Yongguk sent them a smile and Jaebum nodded while Yugyeom grinned.

"They better. If it wasn't for Yugyeom's constant nagging, I wouldn't even allow this kinda bullshit." Yugyeom looked mildly offended at Jackson's words and Jisoo tried to keep his smile in place. His Bonded could feel annoyance bubbling through the bond and Seokmin patted his shoulder to calm him down.

"The plan wouldn't work without me and Jaebum-hyung; don't be so mean. He didn't even ask first, we offered after overhearing."

"I don't mind helping out as long as I don't get involved any further," Jaebum said with a casual shrug and took a sip of his coke, much to Jackson's annoyance.

They had just started eating again when Minghao followed by Mingyu came to a stop next to the table. The tall Warrior was looking around nervously, clearly uneasy about being out in the open. "Isn't this way too obvious? Everyone can listen in," he hissed, once he had taken a seat.

"That's why we're here. It's too loud to be overheard and a big group of students doesn't attract attention," Daehyun explained with a smile. "Nice to see you again, Minghao, and I'm guessing you're Mingyu?"

The redhead smiled as well and Mingyu nodded while Daehyun's group introduced themselves. Jackson looked everything but happy so Yugyeom took it upon himself to introduce his group. "Hi, I'm Yugyeom and this is Jaebum and our Wielder, Jackson. He won't join tonight, though."

"Daehyun won't join either and I still think you should sit out too, Jisoo. It's dangerous and you can't do much anyway," Yongguk said, his face serious.

Sharing glances, Jisoo's Bonded decided to remain quiet. They had tried to discuss that matter multiple times already but the Wielder had remained adamant. "There's absolutely no way I'm not going. He's one of my closest friends, Yongguk; I can't just sit by and do nothing. Also I was the one who came up with the plan." The table shook when Jisoo set down his glass with more force than necessary. "It would be nice if you all could stop telling me how useless I am. I know I don't have an ability and I'm a burden but I need to be there. Please!" Silence descended over the table after his outburst, almost unnoticeable in the loud chatter of the unconcerned students surrounding them.

Minghao finally reached out and patted his head with a bright grin. "You know, I'm really glad to have a Wielder as passionate as you. At least I know you'll have my back whenever I get in trouble."

"And you're not a burden; we're just worried about you, hyung. The thought that something could happen to you is scary," Chan said quietly, his eyes downcast and Yugyeom gave him an encouraging little nudge.

"Nothing will happen; we're all here to help," he said and the people around the table (apart from Jackson) nodded.

"I can't see much so far but what I'm seeing doesn't seem all that bad. Stop worrying or you'll get wrinkles," Seungkwan piped up, trying to get rid of the pudding stain on his shirt. He froze for a moment before his eyes widened and he set down his napkin. "Uh-oh, incoming."

Everyone looked around and it didn't take them long to spot Jihoon wading through the mass of people, a very grim expression on his youthful face, while Jeonghan and Seungcheol were desperately trying to catch up with him.

"Maybe you should run?" Minghao suggested warily, but Seokmin shook his head.

"Too late."

"What's the matter? Aren't those your former Forcebearers?" Mingyu asked, examining the Warriors.

Jisoo responded with a sigh. "Yeah. Let's see what they want."

Jihoon reached them in record time due to his small frame and then he stood in front of the table, fists balled and glare directed at his former Wielder. "What the fuck is going on, Jisoo? And don't pretend that everything is fine like you did yesterday. We all know it's bullshit; you wouldn't hang out with that scumbag," he nodded towards Jackson, who immediately looked like he was ready to fight, "if that was true. And who's that?" The look he sent Mingyu dripped with suspicion and the tall Warrior uneasily moved around on his chair.

Jisoo didn't look all that impressed and only nodded curtly towards Jeonghan and Seungcheol, who had finally managed to fight their way through the students. "I've already told you yesterday: Everything is fine and seriously, it's not your business any more what I'm doing, Jihoon. And this is Mingyu, my new Warrior."

Jihoon looked positively speechless after being told off by the Wielder and his brothers shared a perplexed look. "Are you sure you're okay, swee- Jisoo? You're acting a bit... different," Jeonghan asked tentatively, concern evident in his eyes.

"I'm just tired, don't worry." The Wielder forced a smile and Jihoon rolled his eyes at how fake it looked.

"You still suck at lying."

"Please tell us if you're in trouble. We can help," Seungcheol said, his eyebrows drawn together and Jisoo's smile turned a bit more genuine.

"I know, thank you guys. It's nothing too bad. I'll try to sort it out myself first and if there's a problem, I'll ask you, okay?"

The brothers nodded reluctantly and left after some more reassuring words.

" _It's nothing too bad_ ," Jackson mocked and Jisoo flushed once again.

"Well, what e-else was I supposed to say?" he asked defensively and Daehyun smiled at him.

"Don't worry, it was the right thing to do."

"It feels wrong though," Jisoo mumbled and Minghao squeezed his hand beneath the table.

 

As soon as they had finished planning, they had to leave for class; Seokmin and Jisoo in one, Soonyoung and Chan in the opposite direction. Which was exactly why the Wielder was confused when Soonyoung caught up to him after a few minutes and asked Seokmin to go first.

"This thing you're planning is going to be seriously dangerous, isn't it?" the blond asked, his face uncharacteristically somber. Jisoo only nodded in confirmation. "I know you said I can't join but are you sure? I'll be helpful, I promise. And I'll listen to everything you say. Don't make me sit out; I want to help too!"

Rubbing his temples, the Wielder suppressed a sigh, the sleepless hours slowly catching up to him. "No. I told you I'm not gonna involve people who have nothing to do with it if I can help it in any way. Just accept it, please; I'm stressed enough as it is."

Soonyoung remained quiet for a few long seconds, his gaze quite dark, until his usual bright grin finally lit up his face. "All right, I get it. But promise you'll keep Chan extra safe, okay?"

 

Jisoo slumped down on the sofa next to Minghao with a tired groan, causing him to bounce slightly and peer over the top of his book. "Maybe you should sleep a bit. No offence but you look like a zombie."

"I feel like one too," the Wielder mumbled through a yawn and Seokmin grinned in amusement while setting down his bag. Chan jumped on the chance to sit next to Jisoo and pulled him down until the Wielder's head rested in his lap. Minghao graciously accepted Jisoo's legs on his.

"You know, maybe we should think about that plan of yours again. I'm not criticising you or anything, hyung; I'm just _saying_ that I should be on your team instead. You know, for safety reasons," the Guardian remarked, his tone innocent and light-hearted, while he played with Jisoo's hair, who shot him an annoyed glance before he closed his eyes.

"You're a Guardian and the other team needs you more; you know that."

"Seokmin is a Guardian too and he's on your team! It's unfair!"

"We're going on a _rescue_ mission; Seokmin is a _Healer_." The Wielder's voice held finality and the younger immediately changed his strategy.

"But hyuuuung, I'll be scared without you. What if something happens?"

Jisoo opened his eyes and was met with Chan's most potent pout. Before he could respond, Minghao interjected. "Nothing will happen. I'll be with you and so will Youngjae and Jongup. Maybe even Himchan and Yongguk if matters get too bad."

Chan glared at the redhead, who sent him a cheeky wink, and Jisoo smiled before he closed his eyes again. "See? No need to worry."

 

"Ready?"

"Ready," Yugyeom confirmed with an encouraging smile before he faced the tall fence that was separating Jiyong's property from the rest of the neighbourhood. Jaebum only nodded and turned on his music. Just like everyone else, he was dressed in black, well hidden behind some thorny shrubs with his earphones plugged in to avoid any possible distraction. He was being guarded by Yongguk.

Jisoo and his group turned towards the fence as well, Seokmin holding his cold hand, waiting for the plan to be set in motion. It took several long minutes - and Zelo as well as Mingyu already started fidgeting - until it finally began.

The beautiful night sky, littered with stars, had gradually become darker due to the clouds that had started forming, hiding the bright silver light of the moon. Everyone flinched at the unexpected roll of thunder when the first lightning bolt lit up the sky. Drops of rain began to hit the ground, slowly at first but more frequently with each passing second.

"I think we're good to go," Jisoo yelled towards Yugyeom, trying not to get drowned out by the thunder, and the younger gave him a thumbs up before he took a daring step forward and grabbed the wire mesh of the high voltage fence. Jisoo held his breath and Zelo next to him flinched.

Sparks were dancing over Yugyeom's skin, a mesmerizing sight, but the Warrior paid them no mind and took a deep breath. The effort it took him became visible in the way the muscles on his thin arms started to protrude, his whole body quivering slightly. Even more sparks lit up on his skin and in his hair, frantically running over it, crackling and colliding, until - after a long moment of quiet struggle - the lights in their vicinity suddenly turned off and the sparks were gone. Exhausted he slumped to the wet ground and Jisoo hurried to catch him.

"You overdid it. You were supposed to take out the property, not the whole neighbourhood," he chided, while Seokmin was checking the younger's body for any possible injuries.

Yugyeom grinned weakly in response. "Woops. Well, better safe than sorry, right?"

With a disbelieving shake of his head, Jisoo tapped the small device in his ear, making it spring to life. "Daehyun, Seungkwan, can you hear me? Could you get someone to pick up Yugyeom, please? He's not feeling well."

"Sure, I'll contact Jongup." Daehyun's voice sounded as if he was standing right next to him, even though he was a few miles away, safely hidden in his car together with the Clairvoyance Guardian.

Jisoo hesitated for a second before he dared to ask. "Did Seungkwan see anything yet?"

The sudden voice of the Guardian in his ear made him jump. "Some faith, please? I would've told you if I did. I can feel something big coming though, not sure if that's a good thing."

Jisoo tried not to look as worried as he felt and turned towards Himchan, who was stretched out on the ground, cheek pressed against wet soil and almost completely hidden by the umbrella Yongguk was holding in a vain attempt to at least somewhat protect him from the rain. "Is anyone around, Himchan?"

"Not close on the property. There's someone a few streets down but I think most people are either sleeping or they fled inside when the rain started. Urgh, can't blame them; I'm completely soaked already. We should've gone for thunder only."

"The rain will help us hide and Daehyun brought spare clothing, no need to complain," Yongguk said with a grin before his face turned serious again and he shot Jisoo a worried look. "You should probably get going now. Good luck and stay safe, guys."

Jisoo nodded and turned towards the fence. He could barely make out the mansion through the wire mesh, the rain and the trees; everything was shrouded in darkness. A shiver ran down his spine. Swallowing dryly, he tried to focus on the thought of finding Hansol.

"Okay. Let's go."

 


	39. Rain

The spots where the wire mesh of the fence had pressed into his skin hurt and Jisoo rubbed them absent-mindedly while he focused on following Mingyu through the bushes, who - as the most knowledgable - was leading the way. He jumped and spun around when a hand wrapped around his arm but the familiar feeling of Seokmin's ability calmed his wildly beating heart. Squinting through the dim light of the overcast night, he let himself fall back to walk next to the taller male.

"You should save your energy," Jisoo chided, his voice barely a whisper, and Seokmin grinned.

He leaned over and warm breath hit the Wielder's ear, causing goosebumps to emerge at the contrast to the cold rain. "Sorry, can't help it." The goosebumps turned into pleasant shivers when the Healer left a small kiss on his earlobe before he straightened up and followed the tall Warrior as if nothing had happened.

The darkness concealed Jisoo's blush well but Mingyu still raised a questioning eyebrow at the Wielder's somewhat dazed smile after he had stopped walking, well hidden behind old oak trees just a few meters away from the mansion, and had turned around for a last briefing. "Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah. Just a bit nervous."

Zelo, the designated rear guard, stopped next to them and flashed his usual excited grin, no signs of nervousness visible in his young face. "No worries, everything will go just fine - and if it doesn't, we still have backup."

Shaking his head at the younger's positivity, Mingyu positioned himself in front of the small group, hands buried in his pockets. "Okay. You all know the plan. We-" His voice got drowned out by roaring thunder and he scowled at the sky.

"Yes, yes, we know. It mostly consists of following you anyway; no need to repeat that," Zelo dismissed, earning himself a glare as well. "A much more interesting question is: How do we get into the house?"

"Well, we'll probably have to scout a little...,“ Mingyu replied hesitantly and rubbed his neck at the disbelieving stares directed at him.

"You don't _know_ how we'll get in?" Seokmin asked and Zelo crossed his arms in front of his chest, for the first time looking somewhat unsettled.

The flush that painted Mingyu's face was visible even in the darkness and Jisoo could feel his Bonded's defensiveness and annoyance bubbling in his chest. "The plan was only to get into the basement. We never talked about _how_ to get in there."

"Okay, okay, quiet everyone; we're close to the house," the Wielder finally interfered when Zelo tried to launch into an argument with the other Warrior. "We're already here, so let's just try. Maybe we can find an open window or a door or something."

Zelo looked like he was trying hard not to scoff at his words. "There's security all over the place; do you really think they'll leave the door open?"

"We'll never know until we try," the Wielder said with all the determination he could muster and started sneaking towards the dark building, the Forcebearers hurriedly following after him.

After about ten minutes of crouching behind bushes and crawling through mud, they had finally gotten close enough to touch the towering stonewalls when their earpieces beeped and Daehyun's voice rang in their ears. "Don't move!"

 

 

"Could you _please_ stop?! You're driving me crazy," Minghao hissed and Chan glared at him before he ceased wiggling his leg. Instead he tapped his earpiece, waiting for the quiet sound that confirmed the connection.

"Anything new?" he whispered and the very annoyed voice of Seungkwan answered.

"If you would stop bothering me every three minutes, I'd probably already have seen something. But no, Chan, nothing new _still_. As I've told Jisoo before, I'll call you if I see anything."

"Jisoo talked to you?" the Guardian asked eagerly and Minghao perked up at the mention of the Wielder.

"That was almost half an hour ago, after they managed to climb the fence without killing themselves. But not hearing anything is a good sign, right?" Seungkwan didn't sound all that convinced and Chan shared his sentiment.

"I guess..." he mumbled anyway and ended the call, meeting Minghao's curious gaze. "They haven't heard from the other group for half an hour."

"But if they got caught, we would've noticed; it wouldn't be this quiet then."

"I sure hope so," Chan uttered and fiddled with the black plastic tarp they were hiding under - from the rain and from any curious eyes. "I should've gone with them."

Minghao wrapped an arm around the younger and petted his head. "We both wanted to, but Jisoo is right: more people are easier to spot and backup is also importa-"

They both froze when an almost inaudible sound cut through the quiet night, so high, they could feel it in their teeth. "Oh fuck, was that Zelo?"

Chan frantically tapped his earpiece and the redhead connected as well. "What happened?! Zelo attacked, do we need to attack as well?!"

"Calm down, Chan. There were some dogs they needed to get rid off." The calmness in Daehyun's voice helped lessen their anxiety slightly but it immediately returned at his next sentence. "Seungkwan is having a vision right now, I'll call you back."

"Dang, I hope it's something good," Minghao whispered, warily peering through the leaves at the two Forcebearers hidden not too far off. He took out his phone and typed a short message into their groupchat.  
  
[02:36] MH: heard anything from yongguk?  
[02:36] Youngjae: Everything's fine  
[02:37] Youngjae: Himchan's still tracing their steps and Yongguk's worried that he'll catch a cold if he keeps lying on the ground  
[02:37] MH: did he catch anything interesting?  
[02:38] Youngjae: He was the one who noticed the dogs  
  
The sound of a connection being established in combination with Chan's nervous tugging on his arm almost made him drop his phone into a puddle.

"Good news, guys." Daehyun sounded upbeat and both Forcebearers relaxed simultaneously, leaning against each other. "Seungkwan saw Jun. Time to get to work."

 

 

Jisoo's heart was still beating fast after the scare with the dogs. He hadn't seen them, but the urgency in Daehyun's voice had once again made it clear how dangerous their current situation was. "Are they gone?" he whispered shakily and Zelo frowned while staring into the night.

"I think I've scared them off... or at least I can't make anything out that sounds like dogs. But I'm not one-hundred percent sure. Can someone call Himchan? He should know where they are."

Jisoo pulled out his phone and dialled, a smile blooming on his lips when Yongguk's soothingly deep voice answered after a few seconds. "Jisoo. Are you guys okay? I heard Zelo just now."

"Yes, we're alright. Good thing Himchan noticed them so early; they hadn't even scented us yet. He's really amazing. But that's also why I'm calling: we're not sure if they're gone?"

"Wait, I'll ask."

The Wielder heard voices and rustling, but he still flinched when Himchan abruptly started speaking. "It's me. They're at the other end of the property, near the fence, probably trying to get away from Zelo." His laugh sounded forced. "As soon as you're inside I can't sense you anymore, but if you need to distract the guards just give us a call and we'll aggravate the dogs."

"Thank you, take care."

"You too."

They hung up and Jisoo turned towards the rest of his group. "The dogs are gone."

With a nod, Mingyu took the lead again. "Let's check the windows first. But be careful, don't get seen." The Warrior sounded quite unsure, which didn't necessarily contribute to the courage of the rest of the group, but they followed him nonetheless, slowly and crouched down as far as possible. The windows of the mansion were simple yet elegant, with white wooden frames reminiscent of older times. On this side of the house all of them were filled with inky darkness, apart from two rooms on the upper floors where candle light was flickering through closed curtains.

They carefully passed three windows until they reached one that Mingyu had identified as belonging to a hallway. Jisoo touched the glass, wondering if they could break it without getting noticed, but the tall Warrior seemed to have read his thoughts. "They look normal but those are bulletproof. If they're not already open, we can't get through," he whispered. "And as far as I can see, the ones here are all closed."

"Now what? Check the other wings? The longer we run around, the more likely it is to get caught," Zelo hissed.

"Maybe we should split up? It would be faster," Jisoo proposed but was immediately met with three shaking heads.

"That's a horrible idea; what if something happens?" Seokmin dismissed. "I'm not letting you go alone." The Warriors nodded and the Wielder reluctantly agreed.

"We could try the front door," Mingyu suggested and everyone looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "It's guarded but if I use an illusion we might be able to sneak past. They wouldn't expect that."

"That's an even worse idea," Seokmin once again said and Zelo grinned while the Warrior shot him a disdainful look. "It's way too risky. Isn't there another option? Otherwise let's just check the other windows together."

After a moment of hesitation, Mingyu made another proposal. "Well, there's an entry Forcebearers use when they get sent out for illegal tasks. It's usually pretty heavily guarded with cameras and whatever but since there's no electricity, it shouldn't be much of a problem. The door only opens from the inside though but you have to actively pull it shut for the lock to work. Most people are either too lazy or too busy to care, so if we're really lucky, it's unlocked."

It was obvious that Seokmin and Zelo weren't convinced, but after Jisoo had nodded enthusiastically, they followed the Warrior without complaints.

Jisoo kept to himself during their way around the mansion's west wing, checking his bonds and making sure that none of his feelings would leak through; the situation was tense enough without his Bonded freaking out every time he got scared. The others seemed to have similar thoughts, since - apart from Mingyu, who didn't know how to - all of them had closed their connection to him. It made him feel empty but at the same time he appreciated their thoughtfulness.

He could feel Mingyu's unease growing the closer they got to their goal: the door that was apparently located at the very back of the house, where the shadows were even darker due to the amount of wild plants that grew there, untended, unlike the pristine front. Crouched down, they stayed close to the wall in case any of the residents had the sudden urge to watch the thunderstorm.

Jisoo flinched and barely suppressed a scared squeak when cold ivy leaves unexpectedly touched his neck and the Forcebearers surrounding him immediately went into defence at the sudden motion - they only relaxed after the Wielder had mouthed apologies at them with a sheepish smile. Seokmin used the chance to hold his hand again, getting a long look from Mingyu, before the Warrior turned back around. The feeling of unease got accompanied by a sudden rush of discontent and Jisoo rubbed his chest, eyeing his Warrior's back.

They had almost reached their destination by now, a pitch black area in the already dark stone wall, and everything inside Jisoo fought against the thought of entering the house - but he swallowed his fear and followed the Warriors, his cold fingers tightly gripping Seokmin's warm ones.

Mingyu waved them closer and the group gathered around the supposed door. In the flashes of the lightning bolts, Jisoo could make out a flat metal surface, no handle, no keyhole, menacing and unwelcoming. If the Warrior hadn't told them that it was a door, Jisoo would have assumed it was part of the wall.

It was Mingyu who reached out first, his fingers expertly moving along the rim of the metal plate, searching for any gaps to indicate that it was unlocked. When he kept going after several tense moments had passed, Jisoo's positivity slumped together with Zelo's shoulders while Seokmin busied himself with the zipper of his water proof jacket. Discouraged, the Wielder tried to come up with other ways to enter, but the only thing on his mind was how incredibly helpful Minghao's ability would be right now.

Everyone recoiled when a horrible screeching suddenly filled the air. They collectively froze for a few seconds until they had made sure that it had been brief enough to not alert anyone.

"What the heck was that?" the Healer breathed, his hand pressed against his chest to calm his racing heart.

"I think the lock is scraping against the frame but at least it's not completely shut. I'm not sure how we'll open it without waking up the whole house, though," Mingyu whispered and Zelo's face immediately lit up at his words.

"Leave it to me. As long as you guys are strong enough to force it open, I'll take care of the noise."

 

 

The fact that they were getting further and further away from the entrance they were supposed to guard made Chan increasingly nervous. "How much further?" he nagged and Seungkwan groaned.

"I told you: I don't know. I only saw the street name briefly and I don't know where exactly he is."

"Did you see any houses or something to pinpoint it?" Minghao asked, eyebrows furrowed while he looked around the quiet neighbourhood. They had walked far enough to be out of range of Yugyeom's ability and the street lamps were casting menacing shadows while the rain glistened in the lights. The houses lining the street were quiet and dark, the residents sleeping after a long day at work.

"Do you think I'm stupid or something? I would've told you if I did. He was at a street crossing and walked down the road you're on. I don't know which crossing and I don't know who he was with."

"It couldn't have been Hansol, could it? If he's free already and we're sending the others in just to get them caught, I'd probably kill him myself." Minghao hit a house wall for added effect and grimaced at the pain in his hand afterwards. Chan looked rather unimpressed.

"It's not Hansol, the frame is too small. I think- wait." The connection was gone instantly and the two Forcebearers shared a worried look.

"Another vision?"

"Probably. Or the other group contacted them." Minghao fiddled with the soaked beanie that was supposed to hide his red hair. "Should we just keep walking? We can't really do anything else."

"I guess."

 

 

Jisoo and Seokmin were pressed against the wall, hidden behind Mingyu's and Zelo's backs. Their fingers were entwined and the Guardian seemed determined not to let go. The two Warriors in front of them stood face to face with five guards, bodies completely rigid, while the shine of flashlights flickered over their stiff figures and reflected in the dark windows.

"But I'm sure I've heard something over here. I'm not paranoid."

"Come on, we all know you shit your pants in the dark," the tallest of the guards mocked and the others answered with raucous laughter.

"Maybe it was a ghost, whoohoohoo." A third guard waved his arms and rolled his eyes in his best zombie imitation, narrowly missing Zelo's nose.

"Can you get rid of them somehow?" the young Warrior hissed through clenched teeth and tried to avoid getting hit in the chest without moving around too much.

"Five people at once is not that easy," Mingyu murmured back, brows furrowed. "But I'll try."

The guards continued chatting about getting coffee later, obviously very fond of this particular spot in the hallway, until the one who had led them there in the first place froze. "There's something at the end of the corridor, for real guys," he hissed and the others immediately stopped talking and lifted their weapons. Jisoo pressed himself even tighter into Seokmin's side at that sight.

"I can't see shit, this goddamn blackout," one grumbled and another snapped his fingers, causing colourful bubbles to erupt and move down the hallway, gently lighting up the way.

"Woah, what's that?" one asked, staring wide-eyed at absolutely nothing.

The tall guard squinted. "It's too big to be a squirrel. A raccoon maybe? How did it get in?"

"I told you I've heard something!"

"God, just move, you idiots," Zelo said under his breath, upper body bent backwards in an almost comical way to avoid one of the guns and Seokmin couldn't suppress a grin despite the tense situation.

The guards collectively recoiled and Jisoo could only guess what the illusion had done to warrant that reaction. The bubbles that filled the air popped one by one. "That little bastard! After it!"

Jisoo released a shuddering breath when the guards stormed down the hallway, lightning illuminating the scene, and the two Warriors carefully stepped forward to give them some space.

Zelo stretched before rubbing his neck, looking genuinely remorseful. "Sorry, I completely forgot to mask our steps and that one guy seems to have enhanced hearing. Won't happen again!"

"God, I thought you'd gone crazy when you started talking right next to them." Mingyu leaned against the wall for a breather. "I can make them see an empty hallway but getting rid of outside sounds is really difficult."

"Don't worry about it; that's what I'm here for, right?" Zelo grinned brightly and they slowly began to walk down the hallway, choosing the opposite direction of the guards.

"How does your ability work exactly?" Jisoo asked quietly while catching up to the younger. "Can you influence sounds in general?"

"It's a bit hard to explain. My way of seeing the world is probably very different from yours. I can see sounds, soundwaves to be exact. Imagine it like in a cartoon, you have those squiggly lines to indicate sounds, right?" Jisoo nodded with interest and the other group members listened to the Warrior's explanation as well while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, Mingyu leading the way once again. "Well I can kind of grab those lines and pull them into different shapes and directions. For example the one I used for the dogs earlier was high frequency, so I took the sound of the rain, squished it a little and directed it towards them, but away from the house."

"So you can't change the sound itself but its frequency and direction?" Seokmin asked curiously and the Warrior nodded.

"That's fascinating and all, but we should really pay more attention now. The rooms here are where the higher ranking Forcebearers sleep and I really don't want to meet any of them."

"Where's the entrance?" Jisoo whispered back and Mingyu pointed into the looming darkness in front of them.

"Down the corridor, few more minutes probably."

"This place is freaking huge." Zelo eyed the high ceiling and rows of doors that became visible each time the sky outside the windows lit up.

The tall Warrior's face noticeably darkened. "You've seen nothing yet. The basement is the biggest part of the house and I was really hoping to never get close to it again."

"Why? What's in the basement?" Zelo sounded scared but fascinated.

"It's where all the illegal stuff that hasn't been outsourced is taking place. The house itself is completely clean and there's even a regular cellar with wineracks and stuff. The actual entrance is hidden and locked with a high security system. My hope is that it's also disabled right now due to the black out."

"But you're not sure?" Seokmin seemed sceptical. "Do you really think we'll be that lucky twi-"

"Shhhh!" The youngest Warrior had lifted a hand and almost hit Jisoo in the head. They froze on the spot. "There's movement behind the next door and someone's speaking." He frowned. "Two people, actually."

Mingyu looked up and down the hallway, examining the doors, before he answered. "That's Kihyun's room. It's probably him and Changkyun; they're always together."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Jisoo, everyone here is dangerous. And yes, they are. Kihyun manipulates metal and Changkyun is only rank two but his poison is often used for interrogations." Mingyu visibly shuddered and the Wielder reached out to hold his hand. "They have their own seven member unit that sometimes gets send out, but one of them, Jooheon, is a bit of a free spirit who doesn't like taking orders. I'm not sure if that makes him a better person or more dangerous," the Warrior finished and squeezed Jisoo's fingers lightly.

"Could we ask them for help?" Zelo asked, but Seokmin shook his head.

"Let's not involve outsiders; we don't know how loyal they are anyway. Come on, let's go."

They sneaked past the door, unnecessarily quiet although Zelo was masking their sounds and only able to breathe properly after they had passed it without anything happening.

The further down the corridor they walked, the stronger the waves of unease got, Jisoo received from Mingyu. His grip got stronger as well, borderline painful, the closer they came to the last doors and the Wielder moved closer, his shoulder pressing against the Warrior's. "What's the matter?" he asked, quiet enough for the others not to overhear.

After a moment of hesitation, Mingyu answered. "That's my old room, next to Wonwoo's."

"Do you miss him?"

The Warrior scoffed. "I don't remember most of my time here. How could I?" The sadness that washed through the bond spoke otherwise. "He's Jiyong's lapdog anyway. We're close now, the entrance is around the corner."

Jisoo smiled at his obvious attempt to end the conversation and nodded while they passed the two doors in silence but hand in hand. They looked exactly the same as all the other doors in the otherwise empty hallway and the thought of living such a monotonous life made the Wielder's heart squeeze painfully.

"Okay, we're here." Mingyu said and they stepped around the corner.

The first thing Jisoo saw was a door that looked like an exact copy of the doors they had just passed. He was oddly disappointed although he wasn't quite sure what he had expected. Maybe some sort of secret switch behind a bookcase or a painting like in the movies he had watched with Chan.

"This is it? Didn't you say it's hidden?" Zelo sounded just as disappointed as Jisoo felt.

Mingyu only rolled his eyes at the young Warrior and walked over to the door, carefully pressing the handle. It swung open without the slightest sound. "Are you going to stand there for the rest of the night?"

Quickly they went over, only to be met with the even more unimpressive sight of a regular, moderately sized kitchen, including a stove, a tall fridge and a table with chairs. Multiple pots and pans were littering the white walls, dangling from hooks and giving the room a more homey feel than the bare walls of the hallway. The tall Warrior walked over to the fridge without the slightest hesitation and began pulling at it, trying to move it away from the wall.

"Is the door seriously behind the fridge? In the shared kitchen for Forcebearers?" Seokmin asked, sounding as if he was trying hard not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Usually you use the fingerprint activated screen behind that pan over there to open it. Only people in the system can access it, everyone else activates the alarm. But since we haven't cut off anyone's finger and we don't have electricity anyway, we'll have to try getting in by using force. It would be great if you would stop staring and help me instead."

While Mingyu and Seokmin tried to reach around the fridge and push, Jisoo and Zelo tried to pull at the edges, but it was harder than anticipated to even find places that allowed them to hold onto the smooth surface. Mingyu was the first one to curse and even Jisoo had to suppress the urge to let out his frustration when it didn't budge even a millimetre.

"I think it's bolted to the wall," Seokmin finally panted, after several minutes and several unsuccessful attempts. They had stopped after they had almost torn off the door of the fridge. "What should we do? We can't give up now."

"I don't know. I'm really sorry." Mingyu was bend over, looking exhausted, and Jisoo could feel a lump forming in his throat at the thought that they were _so close_. There had to be a way.

He had just decided to call Daehyun to see if any of the others had an idea when the sound of thunder got drowned out by a deep mechanical rumbling from somewhere below them. They froze, looking around wide eyed to make out the source - until, all of the sudden, the lights turned back on.

"Fuck, that's bad."

 

 

The earpieces beeped and Seungkwan's voice had lost all of its usual playful bite. "You need to go back! Right _now_!"

Chan and Minghao shared a panicked look and started running.


	40. -4

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!" Mingyu wildly looked around before he pointed to his right. "The corner, quick!" His order was followed without hesitation and they sprinted over, pressing against the walls, while Mingyu remained in the corner across from the fridge. "The security cameras don't record sound, so we can talk freely, but we need to stay as far away from them as possible. There's more up here than down in the basement though because Jiyong doesn't want any video evidence of whatever he's doing. Once we get in, we should be relatively safe."

"How do we open it without getting seen? Does your ability work with cameras?" Jisoo asked worriedly, eyes glued to the small, black devices.

"I don't think I can use illusions on anything but humans; I need a mind to trick. But the control room is just down the next hallway. Zelo, do you think you could figure out if someone is in there?"

"Which direction?"

"The opposite of which we came from." Mingyu almost jumped out of his corner when the Warrior tried to reach for the door handle without getting into the range of the camera. "No! Don't go out of the kitchen, there's a camera in front of the door!"

The younger's face fell at his words. "But I can only figure it out once I see the sounds. My hearing is just average."

Mingyu cursed and frowned in thought, while Seokmin patted Zelo's shoulder and Jisoo sent the young Warrior a comforting smile.

"Okay, different approach. I'll try to use my ability from here, but that's the furthest apart I've ever been from a target; I'm not sure if I can do it."

Insecurity and doubt washed through the bond and the Wielder wondered if Mingyu was thinking of the times he had "failed" - in his own words - to protect people he cared about. The desperation the Warrior felt when he closed his eyes made Jisoo's stomach churn and he focused on opening their bond, sending as many positive emotions as he could. He mentally went through the night before, when Mingyu had tried to help him sleep and how peaceful he had looked after Jisoo had calmed him down in the morning. His heart fluttered at the thought and when he looked up, Mingyu was watching him, smiling slightly. The desperation had lessened and once again turned into something akin to hope.

The Warrior closed his eyes again, this time looking more relaxed and focused. For a few long moments nothing happened - and then he spoke. "There's two of them."

"Can you use your ability?"

"Yes." He opened his eyes, the slight smile still dancing on his lips. "Here's the plan: We'll call the others and get them to set up some sort of distraction. Then I'll use my ability just in case the guards are still watching the kitchen screens and you'll come over here. Afterwards one of you will lift the pan in front of the fridge and guide me there. You'll have to use my fingerprints to get the door to open and then we pray that they didn't delete my data since I'm presumed dead. If they did... well, we'll probably get killed."

"Great," Seokmin said dryly while Jisoo and Zelo shared uneasy glances. "But it's the best plan we got. Who do we call? Daehyun?"

"I'll call Yongguk again," Jisoo offered. "Himchan said they could aggravate the dogs for us and at least the others don't have to engage that way."

His group members nodded (Zelo a bit reluctantly) and Jisoo fished out his phone for the second time this night.

"Jisoo?" Yongguk's voice was as calm as always, despite the tense situation.

"Can you get the dogs to act up? I think they used a generator to get electricity and we need to distract the guards watching the cameras."

"Sure, give us a moment."

"But don't do anything dangerous. I'm serious, Yongguk."

His warm laughter rang through the line and somewhat eased Jisoo's anxiety. "You're one to talk. But don't worry, we won't even get close to them."

It took the two Warriors less than a minute. The small group in the kitchen was waiting with bated breath for something to indicate the success of their tactic when suddenly a loud _crash_ cut through the sound of the rain and dogs started barking aggressively in the distance.

"Okay, I guess this is it. On my signal..." The tall Warrior closed his eyes, brows furrowed in concentration. "Three, two, one..." He took a deep breath, his whole body tensing. "Now!"

Jisoo and Zelo skidded to a stop next to him and the Wielder gently took his hand, guiding him towards Seokmin, who had lifted the big cast-iron pan and revealed a dark screen embedded into the wall. "Do we need to turn it on first?"

The distance to his victims was taking a visible toll on Mingyu, but he still shook his head, eyes tightly shut. "It activates when I touch it. Hurry, I don't know how long I can keep this up." His voice sounded strained and he blindly reached for the monitor. With Jisoo's help, his fingers found their target and he pressed his hand against the smooth surface that immediately lit up at his touch.

Seokmin took a single, purposeful step and positioned himself between his Wielder and the kitchen door while Zelo armed himself with a pan. Jisoo kept holding Mingyu's free hand, eyes trained on the screen, while they waited for whatever would happen next. For a few long moments nobody moved and the whole room seemed frozen in time, apart from the lightning outside the windows. Then loud voices and hurried footsteps became audible.

 

 

The stitches in his side were getting worse but Chan ignored his protesting body and forced himself to keep going, just a few steps behind Minghao. Unlike him, the Warrior was running without showing any signs of exhaustion, years of training for his magic tricks finally paying off.

The last street corner that hid the mansion became visible through the rain and Minghao took it with vigour - only to stop short at the sight in front of him. They almost toppled to the ground when Chan crashed into his back, but the Warrior's quick reflexes spared them both a painful encounter with the wet pavement.

"What the heck, why did you- oh shit." Chan had looked up and also caught sight of the mansion, bright lights twinkling on top of the fence and in most windows. It looked beautiful in the darkness, the rain adding an almost mythical sparkle, but it was also highly unsettling.

"So that's why Seungkwan wanted us to hurry. How did they turn it back on? The rest of the neighbourhood is still dark."

"Who cares, what about the others? Did they get caught?" Chan was already pressing his earpiece and Minghao hastily logged into the conversation as well.

"Daehyun? What's going on? Is the other group okay?"

"I'm not sure... Seungkwan is having vision after vision. I can't get him to properly talk to me; it's nerve wrecking. But I don't want to contact the others as long as I don't know what's happening."

The Forcebearers flinched when an unexpectedly loud _crash_ was heard and immediately dogs started barking angrily. Parts of the fence at the back of the mansion turned dark.

"Shit, what's going on?! Is someone attacking?"

"Wait, I'll call Yongguk." The line beeped and Chan ran his fingers through his hair in agitation while Minghao eyed the brightly lit entrance of the property.

"Should we go back to our old position? It might be difficult with the lights though," he proposed after a moment.

"Yeah, maybe we can sneak through the-" Chan immediately fell silent at the sound of the established connection.

"Yongguk made a tree fall into the fence to distract the guards, so the others can sneak into the basement. Everyone's okay. Yugyeom's completely knocked out next to me though; I don't think he can use his ability again tonight. We'll have to somehow work with the current situation."

The Forcebearers released a collective sigh of relief. "Alright, tell us if Seungkwan sees anything new."

"Yes, _Sir_ ," Daehyun mocked and Chan smiled in response while Minghao shook his head at the younger.

"Jisoo is spoiling you too much. You should respect your elders more."

"As if you're any better."

 

 

"Don't stop," Jisoo hissed and prevented Mingyu from pulling his hand off the screen. "There's no alarm yet, they're probably responding to Yongguk's attack."

The other Forcebearers stayed vigilant nonetheless, eyes directed at the door, until a loud clicking sound made all of them jump. Jisoo turned toward the fridge and had to suppress an excited yell at the sight of the wall swinging open.

"Fucking finally," Mingyu mumbled through clenched teeth. "Let's go, I can't hold on much longer."

Jisoo and Mingyu took the lead, the Warrior's eyes still closed, and the others quietly followed after them, Zelo clutching his pan and Seokmin armed with a large chopping knife he had snatched from the sink. As soon as they had stepped into the dark staircase, the wall began to close behind them and once Mingyu heard the unsettling loud _click_ of the lock, the tension left his body. "Oh god that was the worst. Who's the one with the flashlights?"

Jisoo had already reached into his backpack and was rummaging through it, trying to find the small lamps in the complete darkness. His hand closed around cold steel and with a triumphant smile he pulled it out and turned it on, blinding Seokmin in the process who was standing in front of him.

After he had handed each Forcebearer a flashlight, they took a closer look at the staircase they were currently standing in. It didn't seem remarkable apart from the raw concrete walls and a door that presumably led to an elevator.

"Let's go," Mingyu said with a weak smile, the beam of his flashlight shaking slightly - Jisoo wasn't sure whether it was from exhaustion or fear, but he remained next to the Warrior, who didn't seem to mind his presence. On the contrary: when they began their descent, Mingyu reluctantly reached for his hand once again and the Wielder entwined their fingers without hesitation.

"Do you know where we need to go?" Zelo asked from behind, after they had passed the third floor in silence, and the tall Warrior looked over his shoulder to answer him.

"The next floor is the one. It's where people are held for...uh, questioning. I really hope he's still there."

"Where would he be if not there?" Jisoo asked naively and Mingyu's expression immediately turned grim.

"Well, he doesn't seem like a guy who'd follow their orders, so he'd either be under Seungri's influence or dead."

The Wielder's stomach dropped at the blunt words and Mingyu squeezed his hand apologetically when Jisoo's fear reached him. Those possibilities certainly weren't what Jisoo wanted to think about, so instead he contemplated whether to close their connection again for the sake of not getting distracted. After a few moments, he decided against it since it seemed to calm Mingyu - and, to be completely honest, he felt comforted as well.

Finally the door to the fourth floor loomed in the beams of their flashlights and they gathered in front of it, faces serious and atmosphere tense.

"Okay, remember the plan. We're getting Hansol first, then we'll get the others. I have a pretty good idea of where he _should_ be, so let's go."

 

 

They had successfully returned to their original position with a little help from Jongup. The black plastic tarp still laid where they had left it not too long ago and they hid beneath it, relieved to be at least somewhat sheltered from the rain. It had lessened and thunder was only rolling sporadically by now but the amount of energy Jaebum must have spent to keep the thunderstorm up for so long must've been enormous and Chan admired the Warrior for his stamina. He was once again fiddling with the tarp, huddled close to Minghao to get some additional warmth, when the earpieces beeped.

"Guys, we have a problem." Seungkwan sounded completely exhausted, his voice hoarse and shaking.

"Are you okay?" Minghao asked warily but the Guardian disregarded his question.

"There's a new Forcebearer Mingyu doesn't know about. He's able to see lifeforce and he will alert the owner of the mansion that there are intruders if we don't stop him. And if that happens, the others will get caught."

Minghao's arms tightened considerably around Chan's shoulders at the news. "Fuck. Did you warn them?"

"I tried but I can't get through, something is blocking the signal. It's probably because they're underground." The Clairvoyance Guardian sounded close to tears. "It's just- I saw Jisoo dead." His voice broke and the silence that rang through the line was louder than the roaring thunder.

It took a while for the two Forcebearers to reply.

"What do we do?" Chan finally whispered, his voice barely audible.

"We attack, obviously. If we can distract them enough, they won't catch the others and what you saw won't happen, right? _Right_ , Seungkwan?!" Minghao had never sounded more desperate and Seungkwan's hesitation to answer only made it worse.

"...I think so. The future is not cast in stone."

"I fucking hope so. Let's call Yongguk and Himchan over too; we need every person we can get," the Warrior growled, raw determination glistening in his eyes, and Chan pulled out his phone.

 

 

The light was blinding after the darkness of the staircase and the Wielder flinched when it hit his eyes. Mingyu had let go of his hand, prepared for any possible attackers, but the long, white hallway that opened up in front of them was just as empty as the ones on the ground floor. The lack of guards made Jisoo's skin crawl. "Are you sure there are no cameras here? Shouldn't there be more guards?"

"Most of the uhm... occupants of those rooms are either too weak to move or restrained and Jiyong is too arrogant to assume that someone would make it through his security system undetected. Also the doors only open from the outside, so nobody can get out. Anyway," Mingyu stepped into the brightly lit hallway without hesitation, "those rooms here are for the long-term occupants, the ones in the next corridor are for interrogation, everything beyond is short-term."

"Glad to see that the madness is well organized," Seokmin said wryly and smiled when Jisoo and Zelo laughed despite the tense situation.

"Well, that's how you get successful, right?" Mingyu replied and made his way down the corridor, the others following closely behind.

"So which of those rooms could Hansol be in?" Zelo asked after they had passed the first grey metal door. "Or are we going to check them all?"

"Technically he could be in any of them," Mingyu replied and grinned at Zelo's unhappy frown, "but they don't usually keep people in the interrogation section over night, so that one's out. Frankly, I can't think of a good reason why they'd want to keep him imprisoned long-term since he's not some kind of hostage and last time I was here, the rooms were fully occupied anyway - which makes the short-term rooms our best bet."

This time Jisoo didn't dare to ask what would happen to the "occupants" when their stay was over; he could vividly imagine the answer anyway. Instead he turned his attention towards the Healer, whose face had paled the further they had walked down the hallway. "Are you okay, Minnie?"

The smile Seokmin sent him looked pained. "The wounds are making me sick."

It took a moment for the Wielder to grasp what his Bonded was talking about, but when he remembered that Seokmin's ability allowed him to sense blood, sadness tightened his chest and he linked their arms, cuddling into his side. The Healer relaxed slightly at the contact and tousled Jisoo's hair, one arm wrapped around his slim shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll manage. I'm just looking forward to the moment when we're out of this hellhole."

"We all are," Mingyu agreed and Zelo nodded along. "This is the section for interrogations by the way." The hallway had taken a sharp turn. While the walls remained the same bland white, the doors ahead were painted an unsettling red, similar to rust or drying blood. "Daesung said they painted them because people would leave handprints or blood splatters and they got tired of cleaning but I think that was a joke."

The atmosphere got even more tense after that explanation and Zelo laughed uneasily, making sure to stay away from the doors as far as possible.

After they had passed almost half of the rooms, fear and hate pierced Jisoo so abruptly that he had to stop walking for a moment. Seokmin stopped with him, eyeing his pale face worriedly. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

"No, it's just-"

Mingyu interrupted him, dark stare fixated on the door in front of him. "Sorry, I'm not that good at suppressing emotions yet. You should probably teach me someday. But yeah, they tortured me in there." After a few moments of heavy silence, where nobody knew what to say, the Warrior shrugged and began walking again, eyes intently focused on the next corner. "Hurry, we should get out as soon as possible once we've found him."

While Zelo simply followed him, Seokmin and Jisoo shared a long look before they turned to do the same.

The corridor with the short-term cells looked just like the first one; rows of grey metal doors and white, empty walls. Jisoo's heartbeat accelerated when they gathered in front of the first door and Mingyu reached for the handle, brows furrowed into a deep frown. He slowly pushed it open and peered inside.

A red-haired male was curled up on a dirty mattress, bare back facing them and pale skin littered with bloody marks.

"Oh god." The Wielder's first impulse was to step into the room but Mingyu held him back.

"It's not Vernon, let's go."

"But we can't just leave him like this!"

"Soo, we've come for Hansol. If I heal everyone now, I won't have any energy left for him," Seokmin said gently and Jisoo deflated. Zelo patted his back to console him although he looked horrified himself and the Wielder thanked him with a sad smile. After long last look at the sleeping figure, Jisoo left the door ajar and they continued on to the next room.

 

 

It had only taken minutes for the gateway to be swarmed with guards after their initial attack. Yongguk, features hidden behind a black facemask, had crushed one of the concrete posts that held the wings of the massive iron gate which marked the entrance of the property to give Minghao ammunition to work with. Therefore the first guards that had stepped out of the mansion had promptly gotten knocked out by pieces of concrete the size of a fist - but it hadn't taken long until there were too many guards for the Warrior to fight at once and the others had sprung into action as well.

Chan had masked his face with the scarf he had brought and was positioned next to Himchan, who was shifting the earth, causing guards to trip or get stuck in mud while Jongup - awkward Jongup who never dared to speak up in front of others - took them out with ease. It was a fascinating to see the quiet male weaving in and out of reality, appearing wherever he was needed and knocking out enemies with well placed hits to their pressure points. It was obvious that Daehyun's group was used to defending themselves, since even Youngjae - the only first rank - was well trained in martial arts. Chan would've admired their technique if he had the time but he was currently engaged in a match with two second rank guards, one of them blazing with flames that licked over his skin while the other tried to claw at the Guardian's face with nails as long and sharp as talons.

While the one using flames didn't provide much of a challenge - he relied heavily on his ability but the flames extinguished as soon as they touched the Guardian and Chan used this moment of confusion to elbow him in the face - the Warrior with the claws knew how to fight and although his talons vanished as well when they came in contact with Chan, his long human nails still hurt and the Guardian cursed after they had scratched his temple, blood trickling into his eye. The guard took a step back and smirked. "Not all that confident any more, are we?"

"Piss off, asshole!" With a well calculated leap, he buried his shoulder in the stomach of the male (his grin at the thought of Jisoo's disapproving frown at his choice of words hidden by his scarf) and the hard impact on the wet ground drove the air out of his lungs. The guard groaned beneath him but Chan didn't give him the chance to recover and finished the match with a single hard punch. For a moment he remained seated to catch his breath but the steady arrival of new guards made him struggle back to his feet.

He had just started running towards Youngjae to help him out when the Forcebearer's eyes widened in horror at something behind him. "Chan, watch out!"

The Guardian spun around and froze at the sight of a large, sharp-edged metal rod from the destroyed concrete post in the hands of one of the guards. The male lifted it over his head with ease before he hurled it towards Chan, who could only stare at the metal speeding towards his chest like a spear.

 

 

"Damn it, where the hell is he?! There are no rooms left." Mingyu punched the wall at the depressing sight of the empty room, grey concrete reflecting the light of the lone bulb dangling from the ceiling. The only visible proof that someone had stayed in it before was a pile of dirty cloth in one of the corners.

Seokmin had gone to take a closer look and lifted one of the stained sheets, sniffing it reluctantly while Zelo looked on with disgust clearly written on his face. The Guardian's expression turned troubled and Jisoo's heart clenched at the sight. "They were used to soak up blood. Quite a lot actually."

"Fuck. Is it his? He can't be dead." Mingyu sounded absolutely devastated.

"What do we do now?" Jisoo asked, his voice shaking. He tried to ignore the horrible queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I suggest you slowly lift your hands," a deep voice answered from the entrance of the room.

 


	41. Traitors

The metal rod that sped towards Chan with deadly force stopped abruptly only centimetres from his chest with a resounding _clunk_ that seemed to make the air itself vibrate, and the Guardian fell to his knees, limbs no longer supporting his weight. The pole landed in front of him and the heavy impact shook the ground.

Chan looked up at the Forcebearer who had hurled the piece of metal and found him sneering in his direction, fingers already wrapped around pieces of concrete which looked too heavy for a human to lift. The Guardian fruitlessly tried to get up, but his legs felt like jelly and the adrenaline that was running through his veins made the finality of the situation horribly clear, every detail painted in vivid colours. In a hopeless attempt to make himself as small of a target as possible, he ducked his head, hiding behind his arms, and the guard's grin widened in certain victory - but just as he had picked up a chunk of concrete, he got flung against the remaining pillar of the gate, his eyes bulging at the force that pinned him against the flat surface, strong enough to keep his feet from touching the ground.

Shaking, Chan turned towards Minghao to thank him, but his strained smile immediately froze at the sight of the older on the wet ground, desperately struggling against the grip of a guard who was pressing his face into the muddy water of a puddle. With monumental effort, Chan forced his legs to finally support his weight and - casting a quick glance at the limp guard still pinned against the gate post - stumbled into the direction of the redhead.

During the time it took him to reach the pair, Minghao's struggling had noticeably lessened and for a few horrible seconds, Chan thought he wouldn't make it in time - until his fist connected with the neck of the guard and the male crumbled to the ground. For good measure, Chan kicked him in the face to get him off Minghao's back and hurriedly pulled the Warrior out of the water who spluttered and gasped for air.

"Are you okay?!"

"Y-yeah, I guess." Coughing, Minghao tried to wipe wet soil off his face, the light drizzle still falling from the sky helping to wash it off. "That asshole jumped me while I was distracted." He weakly kicked the unconscious guard in the shin and Chan smiled before he got up to assess the situation in the frontyard.

Yongguk looked tired but satisfied, surrounded by bodies who had gotten caught in his gravity field, while Himchan leaned against him, completely exhausted and almost unable to keep himself from falling asleep. Jongup seemed the least affected so far, still knocking out guards who dared to step out of the front door of the mansion, and Youngjae was sporting some ugly cuts and bruises but looked otherwise relatively unharmed.

All in all they had gotten off much better than Chan had expected, although the lack of truly high ranking guards made his skin crawl.

 

 

The feeling of impending doom was getting stronger and Jisoo forced himself not to close his eyes in defeat. Slowly he raised his arms and turned around, the other group members following his example.

Near the door stood four people, all armed with assault rifles but dressed casually in hoodies, not in the grey uniform of the guards. The tallest, most imposing looking male stepped forward, his eyes focused on Mingyu. "How are you still alive?" His voice was softer than Jisoo had expected, more curious than threatening, and although he didn't lower his gun, the Wielder felt a small bit of hope blossoming in his chest.

"I'm like a cockroach, Shownu; I'm not that easy to kill." The Warrior smirked and the broad shouldered male grinned at his answer.

"I think a nice little bullet in your brain would solve that problem. There's no room for traitors here," the guy who had spoken first hissed, venom dripping from his voice, and the Wielder could feel the little spark of hope sizzling out in an instant.

"Interesting, I.M. Mind telling me what you guys are doing here - outside your schedule and without your uniform? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

The one named I.M visibly flushed and raised his weapon at Mingyu's words while the other strangers turned pale. Jisoo could hear one of the Forcebearers behind him suck in a scared breath and he took a daring step towards his Warrior to stop him from irking the other group any further. The guns immediately pointed in his direction and panic flooded through Mingyu's and Seokmin's bonds, causing the Wielder to freeze.

"Keep moving and I'll shoot you. And we don't have to answer to you anymore, you little fucker. I think GD would appreciate it if we finish you off," I.M snarled before Shownu raised his hand and the other reluctantly stepped back.

"Why did you come back? And who are they?"

Mingyu's panic lessened noticeably after the apparent leader had taken the word again but Seokmin remained restless at the weapons aimed at Jisoo. "They caught a guy because of me, now I'm getting him out. Those are my friends and my Wielder."

Somehow - although it really wasn't the right time to worry about trivial matters - the last sentence stung and Jisoo bit his lip to keep his emotions from travelling through the bonds. He knew that the Warrior was wary towards Wielders but he still had assumed that they could be considered friends after what they had been through.

"You got yourself a Wielder and you brought him? Are you nuts?!" a guy with rather prominent lips asked, taken aback.

"Maybe he's trying to kill him off? We could give him a hand," I.M offered helpfully and Mingyu's stance turned threatening at once. Before he could make the situation worse with a sharp retort, Shownu stepped in for the second time, visibly annoyed by the exchange.

"As far as I know, there's only been two new additions recently. If you couldn't find him here, he's probably upstairs. Or dead. What's his name?"

"Vernon."

"Hansol."

While the eyes of the other group flitted back to Jisoo, Wielder and Warrior shared a quick look. Seokmin's anxiety rose again and Jisoo rubbed his chest guiltily. "S-sorry."

"And you are?" the fourth guy questioned, his pretty face distrustful but his tone not unkind.

"Jisoo. I'm Mingyu's n-new Wielder."

"You got some serious balls coming here; there's no Wielders here apart from the bosses." Guy number three almost sounded admiring. "Why would you do something so stupid?"

"Hansol was my Warrior before and he's my friend."

The Forcebearers at the door eyed him with a mixture of pity and newfound respect as silence descended over the room. Breaking it with a low sigh, Shownu lowered his weapon under the disbelieving stares of the rest of the group. "Jooheon acted up again and they took him away. We just want to check if he's okay," he said distractedly while fiddling with the shoulder strap that secured the gun to his side.

"Why are you even telling them? Let's get rid of them and go back up; if we get caught, we'll be the ones paying," I.M groaned, his face distorted in annoyance.

"Stop whining. They're not from the group; they could help us get out."

"You want to leave?!" number three blurted and the others shared glances.

"We can't leave; we're bonded," pretty-face stated matter-of-factly and Shownu looked as if he was surprised by the revelation, while Jisoo had to suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

When Mingyu spoke, the attention turned back to him. "If he still has that ugly haircolour, he's in cell 53. That was the only one with a redhead."

"I liked you more when you were just quietly following GD's orders," pretty-face mumbled and the tall Warrior pierced him with a glare.

"Well, we can't always get what we wish for, Wonho, and trust me: it's better that way. So, what's gonna happen now? Are you going to shoot us or are you going to hand us over?"

The Wielder didn't like the prospect of either of the two suggestions but fortunately neither seemed the other group - apart from I.M who apparently bore quite a deep grudge against Mingyu. Nonetheless they all lowered their guns slowly, following their leader, and some of the tension in the air vanished.

"Is there a way to sever our bonds? You did it before, right?"

Shaking his head, Mingyu moved closer to his Wielder, only a few inches separating them. "I didn't, it was gone when I woke up. I guess Jisoo did something?"

"N-no, but maybe I could-"

Seokmin stepped in before Jisoo could finish his offer and the Wielder winced at the disapproval the other made him feel, secretly glad that he couldn't see the Healer's facial expression behind him. "You were unbonded when we found you and Jisoo can't cancel a contract while the current Wielder is conscious - at least not without killing himself."

The disappointment of the other group was clearly visible even in the faces of those who had seemed sceptical. Wonho sighed. "So there is no way to-"

"Oy you idiots, that's the wrong cell!" Everyone jumped at the sudden booming voice and the group at the door spun around, weapons ready to fire.

Shownu was the first to lower it, a small smile tugging at his lips, while the other reactions ranged from relieved to annoyed. "Don't do that, dumbass. We could've shot you," I.M hissed. "How did you get out anyway?"

"Wow, glad to see you too, Changkyun." For a moment Jisoo wondered who Changkyun was but I.M's deepening frown answered the question sufficiently. The group had parted to make way for a fifth person, red hair eerily similar to Minghao but a few shades darker and prominent dimples on display. His chest was bare and Jisoo's stomach clenched at the sight of bloody welts running over his skin.

"That's the guy from the first cell, right? The one they were looking for?" Zelo whispered from behind and Mingyu nodded without looking back.

Jooheon had noticed Jisoo's group by now and his gaze had landed on Mingyu, but, unlike the others, he didn't comment on him being alive and instead turned back to his friends. "Well, the door was open when I woke up and getting out of that shithole seemed like a great plan. I'll probably regret it once Seunghyun finds out." He sounded completely unconcerned and the others shook their heads at his bright grin. His loud and carefree attitude reminded Jisoo of Minghao and Hansol, and the Wielder already liked him for that reason alone.

The thought brought him back to the actual reason for the current situation and he awkwardly cleared his throat to stop the other group from talking. "Uhm... Excuse m-me. Shownu, r-right?" The broad-shouldered leader nodded, his expression still surprisingly friendly. "You said there are two new W-Warriors. Could one of them be H-Hansol?"

Unexpectedly enough, it was I.M who answered. "Yeah, if he also goes by Vernon, he's here. I helped questioning him; we didn't get much though."

Anger washed through Jisoo's bonds and he had a hard time concealing his own, but for the sake of gathering information he tried to remain as calm as possible. "What did you ask him?"

I.M rubbed his nape in thought while the Forcebearers surrounding him looked vaguely uncomfortable at the chosen topic. "Stuff about other moles in the group, how he got in contact with Mingyu, accomplices and former Wielders." Seokmin's and Mingyu's fear immediately flared up at his words and uneasiness crept into Jisoo's chest.

"He didn't say anything?" Seokmin asked, his voice shaky.

"Oh he talked quite a bit about his former Wielder," I.M was visibly amused by their nervous expressions and Jisoo could hear Mingyu curse next to him, "and how he got killed by another group. It didn't take them long to figure out that he had planned the attack on Daesung together with his childhood friend, but they haven't caught that guy yet." Sweet relief flooded through the Wielder, not only because Hansol had somehow kept him safe, but also because Jun was still on the run. "He's good at pretending; I had no clue that there was another Wielder in the mix," I.M finished, stare directed at Jisoo, and Mingyu took it upon himself to break their eye contact by stepping in front of his Wielder.

"Stop that, I.M. Alright. We want to get out and you want to find your friend and survive. Let's help each other out," Shownu proposed.

"Are you sure about that? Changkyunnie here seems awfully content with his job as the official torturer. Maybe he's getting promoted to executioner soon?" Mingyu mocked, his voice cold and gaze still fixed on the Forcebearer, who snarled back.

"Fuck off, Mingyu, you tortured _and_ killed more people than me and stop calling me-"

"At least _I_ didn't do it out of free will, you sadistic little-"

"Oh god, shut up guys, my head hurts," Jooheon interrupted, much to everyone's relief, and rubbed his temples in annoyance. "So, what's your plan? Walk in here, get that Hansol guy and leave?"

"Well... k-kinda?" Jisoo blushed under the incredulous stares directed at him and hid behind his Warrior's tall frame.

"You gotta be kidding. For real?!" Wonho looked like he was about to burst out laughing and I.M shook his head in annoyance, mumbling to himself.

"The plan is to release the other prisoners. They'll distract the guards and also have a chance to escape while we sneak out with the help of my ability," Mingyu explained, still frowning in I.M's direction.

"Sweet, with the minor problem that most of them are in much worse shape than I am," Jooheon remarked but the Warrior grinned.

"That's why we brought a Healer."

 

 

"So, now what?" Minghao leaned against the trunk of one of the old oak trees and watched the gate to the mansion, not too far off. They had retreated into the shadows to figure out their new course of action but exhaustion made it hard to focus. Yongguk handed out energy bars while Youngjae called Daehyun. The others tapped into the conversation as soon as the connection was established.

"Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah nothing too bad on our side. The guards were all pretty low-ranking, three at best."

"Heard anything of the other group? Did Seungkwan see anything new?" Minghao interrupted, too impatient to wait.

"I still can't reach them and Seungkwan has gotten better but can't say anything for certain. He's a bit exhausted."

"Talking about me, mh? What do you wanna know?" Seungkwan's voice was strained and his words were slightly slurred but he made an audible effort to sound as upbeat as possible.

The Forcebearers shared a sceptical look before Chan took the word. "Did it work? Is Jisoo safe? And the others too, of course?" he added after noticing Himchan's raised eyebrow.

The silence that answered lasted so long that Jongup checked the connection of his earpiece. "I can't guarantee it. I only see snippets and I don't know which of them will happen and which of them won't," the Guardian finally said with obvious hesitation

"Goddamnit, then figure it out! This is about Jisoo's life, not some stupid game we're playing," Minghao snapped and everyone flinched at the volume of his voice.

"Do you think I don't know?! You're not the one seeing him fucking dead," the Guardian hissed back and disconnected without another word. The Warrior looked as if he was considering to smash his earpiece against the tree but Daehyun's voice stopped him.

"We need to stay rational otherwise we won't stand a chance. Since they already know we're here, I think it's best to face them head on as soon as we get any news from Jisoo. I got some reinforcement for you since we couldn't find Jun; they should arrive soon so just stay where you are for now."

The connection was gone and Himchan more or less said what everyone was thinking. "That better be a goddamn army."  


 

Ultimately they had parted ways with the other group - nine people would've been too easy to spot and Jisoo couldn't get rid of their forcebonds in the current situation anyway - but Seokmin had healed Jooheon before they had left and that small act of kindness alone was enough to earn their favour and some helpful advice.

Although Hansol wasn't in the cells like he had originally assumed, Mingyu had decided to still go through with their plan of releasing the other captives to buy some more time to search for the Warrior. Guy number three (Jisoo had learned that his name was Hyungwon) had pointed out that, while the short-term cells had handles to easily open them from the outside, the long-term cells required keys - which, based on Mingyu's blurry memories and I.M's experience, were safely stored in a room one floor up and the reason the group was currently sneaking through darkness once again.

The Wielder crept around the next corner, fingers tightly wrapped around Seokmin's and Zelo's hands so he wouldn't lose them while Mingyu soundlessly walked in front, lighting the way. I.M's hoodie felt weird on Jisoo's skin, the smell different from what he was used to, and he had to shake his head a few times to stop the hood from obscuring his vision, but he was nonetheless grateful that the Forcebearers had offered them their sweaters although they were basically strangers – or, in Mingyu's case, not exactly friends. And now that they had pointed it out, it was a glaringly obvious flaw in their plan that they hadn't brought anything apart from scarves to hide their faces. It scared the Wielder to think about the possible consequences.

He jumped when something unexpectedly touched his back, but relaxed when he recognized Seokmin's ability. Based on the nervous energy coursing through their bond, the Healer was just as tense as he was, but he still was trying to calm Jisoo down by rubbing his back, a gesture the Wielder appreciated greatly.

After a few quiet minutes, Mingyu, dressed in Shownu's hoodie, stopped in front of a door that looked just like the others in the windowless hallway and Jisoo pondered how he was able to distinguish them until the Warrior started speaking. "Minghao showed me how to pick a lock but I'm not very good at it so it might take a moment. Could you hold the flashlight, Soo- uh, Jisoo?"

"Sure... and I don't mind you calling me Soo." The Wielder blushed and took the light without glancing at Mingyu, who looked just as awkward.

Zelo eyed them with a cheeky grin that was visible even in the dim light and Seokmin cleared his throat. "Then you should probably start if you're slow."

"Yeah. Right. Wait, where did I- ah. Okay." The Warrior had pulled out a small set of silvery lockpicks after frantically going through his pockets and Jisoo directed the beam of the flashlight at the lock so he could get to work. It indeed took him a moment to figure out which size was the correct one. Seokmin was leaning against the wall, watching him with interest, while Zelo kept fidgeting next to the Wielder, playing with the print of Hyungwon's hoodie, their hands still entwined.

Mingyu had been working at the lock for several minutes already and slowly but surely Jisoo could feel the strain but he still focused on holding the flashlight as still as possible to not disrupt the process, although it wavered slightly when Zelo tugged at his arm. The Wielder squeezed his fingers to calm him down, but the younger tugged a second time.

"Jisoo!" he whispered urgently, trying to get the Wielder's attention, but the only answer he got was a distracted sound. "I think there are people coming down the hallway, but I can't see; it's too dark."

Everyone froze for a second, before Mingyu quickly got up and Jisoo hastily turned off the light, Seokmin moving next to him. They stood in absolute silence for a few seconds, wondering how they had missed the sound of footsteps coming closer and the shine of another flashlight reflecting in the metal doors - but before whoever was coming could round the closest corner, a door a few meters behind the group got pushed open and light flooded into the hallway. They whirled around, completely caught off-guard, and suddenly the lights above them flickered and turned on.

A man stood before them, just as surprised as they were, the harsh ceiling light creating dark shadows below his eyes. Fear immediately shot through Mingyu's bond, cold and debilitating, causing goosebumps to erupt on Jisoo's skin. Behind the group, the footsteps stopped abruptly and the Wielder took a quick glance over his shoulder only to find the rifles of two guards already directed at them. He could feel Zelo tremble next to him and once again squeezed his cold fingers while Seokmin released an audible breath.

"So many unexpected guests." The dark haired male in front of them seemed to have gotten over his surprise and flashed a charming smile, his voice surprisingly pleasant. Jisoo felt shivers run down his spine at the sight. "And one in particular that I wasn't expecting to see again."

Fear turned into pure terror and the male smiled in satisfaction at the look on Mingyu's pale face.

"What's the matter, Seungri?" a deep voice asked and another person stepped out of the room.

Mingyu froze, his fear instantly turning into boiling hot rage. "Wonwoo."

The tall guy looked oddly familiar but Jisoo couldn't quite pinpoint where he had seen him before - until dark almond eyes bored into his with an intensity that made him recoil against Seokmin's chest. What Mingyu had said a few nights ago about his former best friend was indeed true: Wonwoo was working part time in a Chinese restaurant, and Yongguk's happy smile flashed through the Wielder's thoughts. Their date seemed aeons ago.

Wonwoo broke eye contact and instead looked the tall Warrior over, a nonchalant smirk pulling on the corner of his lips. "I knew you'd come back for him."

The hate flooding Jisoo's chest made his body itch and not even Seokmin's arms around his waist could erase the feeling, while Seungri frowned at Wonwoo's words, a dissatisfied glint in his eyes. "You were supposed to kill him, not play with him. You better make up for it now or there'll be consequences."

The tall male only shrugged and motioned for the guards to come over before he stepped aside and revealed the third person in the room. Jisoo's heart got torn apart at the sight of Hansol's blank, beat up face; his usually lively eyes empty and dull.


	42. The Puppeteer

Seungri smirked, elated by the horrified expressions in front of him. "Aren't you happy to see him?"

"You bastard," Mingyu growled, hate distorting his face. "Turn him back to normal!"

"Or what? You're not exactly in the position to make demands, Mingyu." Seungri nodded towards the two guards who straightened up at his acknowledgement, weapons still aimed at the group.

The smug smile on Seungri's face made Jisoo's bile rise. He wanted nothing more than to wipe it off - wipe it off and get Hansol back. It hurt too much to see the lively, loud-mouthed Warrior quiet and emotionless. Forcing himself to not look at the empty eyes and wounds that riddled the face of his former Bonded, his gaze fell on the left guard instead, a handsome guy approximately his age, who was staring wide eyed at the sleeve of Jisoo's borrowed hoodie. Confused by his expression, the Wielder followed his stare, glancing at his sleeve, but the only thing he found was a small patch in the shape of a cherry that someone had neatly sewn in place.

Jisoo's attention got brought back to Seungri when the Forcebearer turned towards the other guard. "What are you waiting for?"

Mingyu paled at his words while the guard was visibly uncomfortable with the task he had been given. "But Sir, I'll hurt myself..." His voice was shaking and Seungri's self-satisfied expression darkened at once.

"Are you resisting my orders, Minhyuk?!"

"N-no, Sir!" The guard took a hesitant step towards the group, the grip on his weapon tightening, but recoiled when Mingyu and Seokmin immediately moved in front of their Wielder.

A shot rang through the hallway, deafening loud, and Jisoo's blood ran cold at the sound, images of Hansol dead on the ground flashing before his eyes. The panic that rose in his chest took his breath away, drowning him, blocking out everything around him. He needed to know who had gotten shot but he couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't comprehend. Something crawled over his skin and it took him too long to realize that it were fingers, trying to loosen his clenched fists, his own nails cutting into his palms. As soon as his brain had registered the pain, the world snapped back into focus. There were too many sounds around him, worried faces and outstretched arms.

"Jisoo, deep breaths, come on. Just like we practised, Soo, yeah, that's good. Relax, nobody got shot and now's not the time to freak out." Seokmin's whispers held urgency and Jisoo tried to follow his instructions. The adrenalin rushing through his body made him tremble.

"What the hell happened to him?" Mingyu was clearly worried but still tried to keep an eye on the situation at hand while petting the Wielder's head.

"Later. Help out Zelo, will you?"

The Warrior nodded without complaint and moved next to the younger who protectively stood in front of the group, facing the guard named Minhyuk as well as emotionless Hansol and his equally impassive duplicate. Wonwoo quietly remained next to Seungri in the back, who was chewing out the guard who had used his weapon without being ordered to.

"Stay back, please," Minhyuk pleaded, his voice too quiet for the Forcebearers behind him to hear, and the Warriors exchanged surprised looks. Before they could respond, Seungri focused his attention back on them, the guard next to him already close to tears.

"Fuck this. Kihyun, call Seunghyun for backup." The guard flinched and immediately lifted his transceiver, while Seungri turned towards the group. "And next time someone pulls a stunt like this, Kihyun won't stop the bullet, so I recommend you behave."

"Fuck you, I'd rather get shot than stay here again," Mingyu snarled and took a threatening step forward, Zelo fruitlessly trying to hold him back. Minhyuk tensed and Hansol as well as his duplicate crouched down, ready to attack, but Seungri only looked mildly amused at his words.

Reaching under his coat, he pulled out a handgun, small and deadly, cocked it and aimed at Jisoo, a smile playing on his lips. "You seem to like him. Maybe you want to change your attitude?"

The Wielder's still slightly muddled mind took a moment to sort through the feelings of terror that rushed through the bonds until it deciphered his own emotions. He felt oddly calm, not all that bothered by the thought of dying for one of his friends as long as it would help them escape, but his Forcebearers obviously thought otherwise.

Mingyu had stiffened, wide eyes glued to the gun, and had not moved a single finger when Hansol had stepped behind him and secured his arms in an iron grip. The same had happened to Zelo, who had struggled at first against Hansol's clone but immediately ceased to resist after a sharp look from Wonwoo.

Seokmin had placed himself in front of his Wielder once again, face filled with fearful determination, and Seungri watched them with a bored expression while Jisoo tried to pull the Healer back. "You know, even if you stand there I can still hit the guy behind you; Kihyun here controls metal." The guard next to him flinched again at the mention of his name, transceiver already back around his neck, and Seokmin's shoulders slumped at his words. "Minhyuk, the taller one first."

"No! Leave him alone!" Jisoo struggled to get past the Healer when the anxious guard stepped closer but Seokmin wordlessly wrapped him into his arms and held onto him, determined to stop him, while Zelo and Mingyu looked on in horror. Desperate sobs burst out of the Wielder as soon as the guard reached the pair and not even Seokmin's lips on his temple could distract him from his panic while he clung to his Bonded's chest, not knowing what would happen to him. Minhyuk's shaking hands met the Healer's back and Jisoo cried out in fear at the sudden coldness that ran through their bond while Seokmin's face paled, his body slumping against the Wielder who tried to keep him upright but ultimately failed.

"What a heartwarming scene." Seungri's sarcastic comment cut through the silence and shook Jisoo out of his shock.

He looked up from his Bonded's unconscious form on the floor, fists clenched in rage. "You are a disgusting, horrible excuse for a human being."

The only reaction he got was a raised eyebrow accompanied by a smug smile before Seungri nodded in the Wielder's direction and Minhyuk closed in on him. Mingyu immediately began to fight against Hansol's grip, spitting curses, but the smaller Warrior held on.

Without even trying to defend himself, Jisoo watched the guard reach out for him, Minhyuk's scared expression a stark contrast to his uniform and the gun. Kihyun anxiously watched them from his spot next to Seungri and Wonwoo, jumping when the latter spoke. "Hurry up."

"Yes, Sir." Minhyuk's voice was shaking and Jisoo forced himself to remain calm when hot fingers wrapped around his hand. To battle his fear, he focused on sending positive feelings towards Mingyu, but a sudden surge of fatigue made him stumble, almost falling against the guard. It was hard to keep his eyes open and Mingyu's and Zelo's voices seemed to move further and further away. Through his blurry vision, he could barely make out Minhyuk who kept holding onto him, a pained expression on his face, small gasps escaping him. Just when Jisoo fell to his knees, pulling the guard down with him and struggling to stay conscious, footsteps became audible and Minhyuk let go of his hand. The Wielder managed to crawl next to Seokmin, before he collapsed and everything turned black.

 

-

 

My heavy breathing was drowning out the footsteps next to me and I could feel my heart racing in my chest, anxiety and strain equally taking their toll on my body. Wild thoughts were running through my mind - past, present, and future. It was almost funny how much we had predicted that something would go wrong.

I had tried so hard to take my mind off things, to focus on other stuff, to get my old life back, and I had been so sure that it had worked – but then we had gotten the call and I had jumped on the opportunity to help. And not only me, my brothers as well.

My hair got caught in a twig, but that didn't stop me from running; the thought of what might happen if we were too late helped me ignore the pain. We had almost reached the others by now; I knew where they were waiting.

I regretted what I had done. I had regretted it the moment I had spoken those words back then in the coffee shop, and every day after. There had been too many nights where I had lain awake, thinking about taking everything back and begging for forgiveness - but I was the most prideful and stubborn out of all of us so I had never gone through with my plan. Not even my brothers knew how much I hated myself.

The pain in my lung and legs was my punishment. Whatever was going to come, I would take it.

We had reached the spot Daehyun had described and slowed down, looking around. Movement behind a tall tree caught my attention and I nodded in the direction, my trademark smile firmly in place as we stepped around it, surprising the rest of the group.

"Look who's here to save the day?" I forced myself to sound extra chipper.

Chan was the first to respond, the sight of his annoyed frown turning my smile almost sincere. "What are _you_ doing here?!"

 

-

 

Shownu and his group stopped at the sight in front of them and stiffened when Seungri addressed them, his voice cold. "Why are you outside your rooms without your uniform?"

"We heard a gunshot, Sir, and decided to take a look," Shownu replied straight-faced, the only one capable of hiding his emotions: Hyungwon and Wonho couldn't bring themselves to stop casting worried glances at Minhyuk's, Jisoo's and Seokmin's motionless bodies on the floor; Jooheon was trying to stay out of the spotlight but shared tense looks with Mingyu while I.M was examining Kihyun closely who sent him a strained smile.

"Bullshit, there's no way you heard a gunshot from the groundfloor. Why were you down here? Oh." Seungri's eyes had found Jooheon, half hidden behind the others, and a lopsided smirk pulled at his lips. "I see. Making your own rules now, aren't you?" Apparently Shownu's silence was answer enough and he released an annoyed sigh. "Seunghyun is on the way, he'll take care of this mess. Until then I want you to drop your weapons. Now."

While Wonho and Hyungwon immediately obeyed, Shownu and I.M hesitated and Seungri's anger visibly grew with every passing second.

It was Hansol who acted first after a tension filled moment: while Zelo slumped to the ground after a punch to the temple, Mingyu received an abrupt jab in the solar plexus that took the air out of his lungs and forced him to curl up on the floor. The swiftness of the attack caught everyone offguard and before the group had time to comprehend what was happening, Hansol and his duplicate had found their next targets. Minhyuk tried to fight the duplicate off, but his earlier attacks had weakened him too much and he froze when the muzzle of his own weapon pressed against his forehead, forcing the rest of the group to stay put. Kihyun was struggling against Hansol's grip, fully prepared to use his ability, his rifle already in the air next to him, but the sight of his groupmates' scared faces and Minhyuk's predicament caused him to hesitate a second too long. His eyes lost their sparkle the moment Seungri touched his neck and all movement ceased. The weapon dropped to the floor with a _thud_.

"You fucking-!" I.M took a furious step forward but Shownu and Wonho held him back. The group gasped when their rifles got ripped out of their hands and picked up from the floor, clashing noisily with the wall behind Wonwoo, who was calmly watching the spectacle.

Seungri remained next to Kihyun, hand still wrapped around his nape, while Hansol stood not far off, emotionlessly staring into the distance. "Much better." He attempted his usual mocking smirk but this time it looked forced, a wild look in his eyes. "You know, I don't think I want to wait for Seunghyun. We can resolve this matter by ourselves, right, Wonwoo? He's usually getting all the praise anyway."

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow at his words but shrugged. "Do what you want. I'm not the one getting in trouble."

The manic grin that lit up Seungri's face made Shownu's group stumble a few steps back, but they froze when the weapons behind Seungri and Kihyun rose. "We need to get rid of traitors. All of them. For the safety of the group." Mingyu had sat back up and was leaning over Zelo to check his pulse; he tensed when Seungri's hungry eyes fell on him. "I'll start with you since you were the first. Pity, I've always liked you best. You were so... malleable."

The rifles turned at once and aimed at the Warrior, who moved away from Zelo and straightened up as much as he could, determined not to die while crawling on the floor. "Thanks, Seungri. I'd like to return the compliment but you sucked. You still do, actually."

While Wonwoo's lips twitched into a tiny smirk, Seungri's brows knitted together and he lifted his arm, weapons behind him shaking. The others turned away; not even I.M could bring himself to watch. Mingyu took a long look at Jisoo's passed out form, before he closed his eyes with a content smile and waited for the end to come.

 

 

"Aw, I've missed you too, Channie." Jeonghan flopped down next to the younger, only to immediately jump up again with a curse, wiping his wet pants. "Anyway, a guy named Daehyun called and said there was a bit of a problem. He pretty much _begged_ us to help; how could we possibly say no?" He ignored the raised eyebrows around him and decided to sit on Seungcheol's jacket instead to keep himself somewhat dry.

Jihoon rolled his eyes at his brother's antics and leaned against a tree, arms crossed, while Seungcheol gave up trying to retrieve his jacket and sat down next to him. "We're actually bonded with Daehyun at the moment, so we'll be able to use our abilities."

"Oh, welcome to the team then," Youngjae said happily, his smile faltering when he got pierced by Jihoon's angry glare.

"This is short-term only; don't get any funny ideas."

Himchan, who had been resting against Yongguk's side, opened his eyes and examined Jihoon like a cat playing with its prey. "Do you have a problem, shorty?"

"We don't have time to fight right now," Minghao interrupted. "Did you plan something with Daehyun?"

Seungcheol looked sheepish while his brothers remained silent. "Well, there wasn't much time, you see. We pretty much got picked up by him, bonded and then went our way."

"Oh god, I thought he knew what he was doing," Chan groaned, swatting away Jeonghan's hands that had gotten dangerously close to his hair. "So, are we just going to sit here until we figure something out? We don't have time!"

The long-haired Warrior had been rubbing his hand with a pout but at Chan's words, a grin lit up his face. "What are you talking about? We're going in of course."

 

 

What rang through the silence instead of gunshots was the dull sound of something hard meeting soft flesh followed by the sound of bodies hitting the floor.

The tall Warrior peeked through his lashes only to find Wonwoo standing behind the collapsed bodies of Seungri, Kihyun and Hansol, wiping the handle of his own gun on his shirt, a disgusted look on his face.

"What the hell?!" I.M broke the silence, his eyes immediately darting towards Kihyun.

Everyone tensed when Wonwoo took a step towards Mingyu, who eyed him with obvious distrust. "Are you okay?"

"Do I _look_ okay? Don't come closer," the Warrior spat, still rigidly sitting on the floor, and Wonwoo complied, turning around.

"You should probably check on your friends," he said to no one in particular, eyes directed at the far corner of the hallway, and Shownu's group exchanged wary looks before they slowly went over to Minhyuk and Kihyun. Hansol's duplicate had vanished but Minhyuk was still too weak to move, his face flushed red and glistening with sweat, while the metal-user was completely unresponsive. For a moment Mingyu kept watching the group, before he got up and - after shooting another glare at Wonwoo - moved over to Jisoo and Seokmin, checking their pulses as well.

Seeing the tall Warrior, Minhyuk groaned and tried to sit up, supported by Wonho. "They'll wake up after I return their energy."

"Can you? I thought you could only take, not give?" Mingyu replied distractedly, carefully pulling Zelo closer to the others and completely ignoring Wonwoo's gaze.

"Usually nobody asks me to." Minhyuk had moved closer, his fingers wrapping around Jisoo's wrist. Everyone turned to watch him and it only took a few seconds before he visibly relaxed and Jisoo let out a soft groan, opening his eyes.

Mingyu was next to him in a heartbeat, his hands running over every part of the Wielder's body he could reach, checking for injuries. "Can you hear me, Soo?"

"Yes... what happened? Is everyone okay?" With Mingyu's help, he sat up but immeditately recoiled against his Warrior's chest when he noticed Minhyuk next to him, who was returning Seokmin's energy. He shrunk even further when his eyes met Wonwoo's, and Mingyu wrapped him in his arms, scowling at his former best friend over the Wielder's shoulder. "Where's Hansol? Oh god, what happened to Zelo?!"

"He's over there. He collapsed when Seungri got knocked out, so I don't think it's all that serious. Zelo took a pretty bad blow to the head though." Mingyu reluctantly let go of the Wielder, who was already hugging a slightly dazed Seokmin, and also turned towards the Healer. "You should probably take a look at him."

"And you should hurry. Seunghyun is on his way." Everyone jumped when Wonwoo's deep voice rang out and Jisoo turned back towards his Warrior.

"Who's Seunghyun?" he whispered and Mingyu's face hardened.

"He goes by T.O.P because he's the strongest Forcebearer in the Organisation. Trust me, you don't want to meet him."

"Worse than Seungri?"

Jisoo flinched when Wonwoo answered his question instead. "His ability is the most powerful I've seen so far."

Moving in front of his Wielder, Mingyu blocked the eyecontact between them. "Stop talking to him, bastard. Jisoo, go and take care of Hansol, please. And you. Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" the Guardian asked, the corner of his lips twitching at Mingyu's obvious protectiveness.

"Stop pretending; why did you help us all of the sudden."

"He tried to kill you."

Mingyu raised a judging brow, the others curiously looking on. "You could've done something earlier, you asshat."

"I don't care about them. I only care about you." Wonwoo's aloof expression didn't change in the slightest and neither did his voice, while the Warrior looked more furious with every word that left the Guardian's mouth.

"You _care_ about me? Are you fucking kidding me?! You watched me getting abducted, getting turned into a slave; you tortured me for fucks sake! What's _wrong_ with you?!"

Wonwoo only observed him calmly, arms crossed and his back leaned against the wall. "I'd love to discuss our relationship right now, but I don't think this is the right time." He turned to the empty hallway in front of them, his sharp gaze directed at a point not far off from the group. "And you two can stop now. I can see your bonds even if you're invisible."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh, who could it be? ;)


	43. Cutting through

For a brief moment, nothing happened but then the air rippled, shimmering like sunshine on water, and two people appeared in front of their disbelieving eyes - one of them a very familiar face.

"Jun," Jisoo breathed before he flew down the hallway into the Warrior's awaiting arms. He got greeted by warm laughter, half-breathless from the tightness of the hug, half-choked by tears that threatened to fall, and he burrowed his face even deeper into Jun's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent. He had missed him so much.

Looking up when he felt warm breath tickling his temple, Jisoo was met with a gaze that spoke of regret and asked for forgiveness, and he smiled brightly despite the dark occasion for their reunion. The Warrior returned it, visibly relieved, and it only took seconds for their lips to connect, soft and loving, and not even the tears could make it taste any less sweet.

Their little moment of bliss ended abruptly when someone behind them cleared their throat. Jisoo's stomach immediately plummeted when he remembered that Seokmin was one of the people watching - Seokmin, the one he had shared a kiss with the day before. Slowly he turned around, Jun's hands still on his hips, and faced the group, his eyes searching for the Healer. He expected anger, jealously, maybe even sadness, but all he found on Seokmin's face was his usual sunny smile. Confused he checked his bonds but even there the Guardian radiated happiness - very much unlike Mingyu, who was a wild mixture of annoyance, confusion and relief.

His musings came to a halt when Shownu spoke. "Based on the greeting, I guess you know each other?"

"You could say so," Mingyu said dryly. "That's Jun, Vernon's brother. The one who's gone AWOL. And who are you?" His eyes had moved from the hands on Jisoo's hips to the girl next to Jun, who sent Seokmin a scared look.

Apparently the Healer's smile was enough to give her courage to talk in front of the group, albeit quietly. "Minzy." Her voice was almost a whisper and I.M furrowed his brows.

"What? Speak up," he commanded impatiently, his arms wrapped around Kihyun's still unconscious form, but Seokmin saved her by filling the rest in.

"She's the sister of my old Wielder; her name is Minzy. Why are you here though? It's dangerous."

"I found her wandering around near the mansion. Apparently they took her Wielder away, you know, the bitchy one we met a few weeks back? Seems like she got involved with the Organisation and then refused to fulfil their demands. Well, I guess it also didn't help that Chaerin's father is a big shot and pretty rich; they're probably blackmailing him right now," Jun explained, completely carefree, while Seokmin immediately looked troubled at the news. "Well, we decided to team up and sneak in. I didn't know it was you who caused the ruckus at the door," he finished and Jisoo shivered when the Warrior's hair tickled his cheek, Jun's chin resting on his shoulder.

"That's great, but we're still standing in the middle of the hallway with Seunghyun on his way. It's a miracle he's not here yet," Wonwoo interjected, his stance and tone still completely relaxed, contrary to his words.

"Yeah, we need to get out of here quick," Hyungwon agreed at once. "If he catches us, it's over."

"Do we just go back to our rooms and pretend nothing has happened? And what about Seungri?" Minhyuk asked. "As soon as he wakes up, he's going to talk."

"We could kill him and make it look like an intruder did it," I.M proposed, earning himself appraising looks. Only Mingyu seemed to like the idea.

"Let's move everyone to one of the rooms first," Jisoo said, feeling the hands on his hips tightening slightly. "We need to get them back on their feet before we can do anything else."

The others nodded and while Wonwoo unlocked one of the doors close by, they moved the limp bodies on the floor.

 

"How much did you see?" Jisoo asked Jun, both of them struggling under the weight of Hansol. The Wielder had insisted on helping but he could already feel his muscles straining after the first few steps.

"Not much. Everyone was already unconscious when we arrived. What exactly happened?"

Jisoo gave a quick review and the Warrior's face darkened. "Of course I've heard of Seungri before, but I thought it was just some sort of rumour to scare us, like the boogeyman, you know? So you got rid of his hold on Mingyu by forcebonding him?"

"Yes but he was already unbonded back then. I have no idea how we're supposed to get Hansol back without confronting this GD everyone is talking about." With a silent groan, Jisoo set down Hansol next to Zelo, who was getting healed by Seokmin, and started massaging his aching arms. It didn't take long for the Guardian to reach over. The soreness vanished with a soft caress over the Wielder's cheek before Seokmin turned his attention to Hansol while Jisoo tried to forget about the butterflies in his stomach by looking around the spacious room they were in. To his disappointment, it looked just like a regular office, equipped with a desk, a chair and several file cabinets. The only difference were four black screens at the wall across from him, close to Shownu's group.

Jun turned towards his brother as well after he had watched their short interaction with something akin to wistfulness. "Will he be alright?"

"Well, I can heal the physical wounds but I can't really do anything about the state he's currently in."

The Warrior sighed and leaned against the wall while Seokmin got to work. "It's something, I guess. Thanks."

With a jittery feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jisoo moved next to him and leaned against the wall as well. Entwining their fingers, Jun shot him a small smile. "How have you been?" the Wielder dared to ask after a few seconds.

"Don't ask," Jun groaned, running his free hand over his face. "The last weeks were hell, especially the last few days without Hansol. I thought I'd go insane."

"You could've contacted us; we could've helped you." Jisoo tried to not sound accusing, but instead of answering, the Warrior only smiled sadly. Silence was weighing heavily on them while they watched Seokmin run his hands over Hansol's arms, checking for injuries. After a few seconds, Jisoo couldn't bear it anymore. "So, uhm, did you find a n-new Wielder? You used Minzy's ability earlier, right?"

"Yeah."

At Jun's confirmation, Jisoo's stomach immediately dropped and he looked down to hide his watering eyes. It was stupid and selfish, he knew that, but the thought of his former Bonded accepting another Wielder hurt. 

A warm hand grasped his chin and forced him to meet Jun's eyes. The Warrior's gaze was filled with affection. "Don't look like that. I only did it because I couldn't think of any other way to save that idiot. It's nothing more than a partnership of convenience with an old acquaintance and I'll find a way to get rid of it as soon as we're out of here, okay?" Jun's lips twitched into a grin at the rapidly spreading blush on Jisoo's face.

"Y-you don't have to- If you p-prefer the other-"

"Nah, it may sound super sappy but I only want you as my Wielder."

Jisoo's blush darkened and he squeezed Jun's hand, who returned the gesture. This time, the silence between them was comfortable.

Not long after, excited voices caught their attention and they peered towards the other group which was crowded around Kihyun. "What's going on?" Jisoo had to raise his voice to be heard by Mingyu, who was sitting next to the door a few meters away. The wide smile the Warrior sent him caught him off-guard and caused a warm tingle to run down his spine.

"Kihyun woke up and he's completely fine, no trace of Seungri's ability."

Hope immediately flared up in the Wielder's chest, not only his own but also the hope of his Bonded and it was also clearly visible on Jun's face who immediately kneeled down and began shaking his brother. "Ya, nap time's over!"

They all waited for a reaction with bated breath but nothing happened and the longer they waited, the more their hope dwindled. After a few minutes of watching Jun's fruitless efforts, Jisoo heaved a sigh and walked over to Mingyu, who was decidedly ignoring Wonwoo, who had taken a seat next to him. The tall Warrior immediately perked up when he came closer and relief coursed through the bond; he even moved towards the tall Guardian to make space for him. The Wielder sent him a grateful smile and sat down with a quiet groan. A yawn fought its way out and he rubbed his eyes, a quick glance at his phone telling him that it was almost half past three and that they still didn't have any connection to the outside world. Mingyu's arm, that had snaked around his shoulders, was heavy and warm but Jisoo welcomed the feeling of safety it brought and tiredly leaned his head against the Warrior's chest.

As soon as he was asleep, Wonwoo spoke. "Your bond is strong."

The Warrior hesitated for a moment before he answered quietly, "Yeah. It feels good."

"I've met him before while I was out scouting." Mingyu tensed at his words and wrapped his arms around Jisoo's waist but the Guardian ignored it. "I remember him because his bonds were beautiful. Most of the old ones are missing now, though." Mingyu remained quiet. They sat in silence for a moment. "I _do_ care," Wonwoo finally said, his face unreadable, and the Warrior tensed once again. "I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"What do you mean?"

"I could have left."

"How?"

"I-"

"Guys, guys, listen up! Kihyun didn't contact Seunghyun! That's why he's not here yet!" Jooheon's loud voice cut through the somewhat quiet room like a knife and he excitedly waved the guard's arm around who looked sheepish at the sudden attention he was getting. The Wielder awoke with a start and only Mingyu's hold stopped him from toppling over - instead he got pulled closer into the Warrior's chest. "This clever guy here recognized our hoodies and only pretended to call!" Jooheon looked like a proud mother while Kihyun hid behind I.M. Shownu finally succeeded in calming the redhead by moving his attention towards the dark screens.

Jisoo hid a yawn behind his hand and peered towards Jun and the others – immediately sitting up straight and almost knocking into Mingyu's chin when he noticed that Zelo had woken up. He wiggled out of his Warrior's reluctant arms and quickly made his way over to the group, smiling at Minzy, who was sitting close by, before he focused on Zelo. "Are you alright? Does anything hurt?"

"Seokmin made sure I'm fine," the younger said with a grin. "Having a Healer is great, maybe we should borrow him from time to time."

"Sorry but he's not for rent." Jisoo tousled Seokmin's hair and the Healer smiled and leaned against his legs. "How's Hansol doing?"

"Still knocked out. I'm gonna hit him when he wakes up," Jun replied, face more worried than angry, and the Wielder frowned.

"Have you tried ordering him to wake up?"

"Huh?"

Jun looked completely dumbfounded when Jisoo turned towards the Warrior and addressed him with a sharp "Hansol, get up", in a tone he had never heard before from the gentle Wielder. His jaw dropped when his brother's eyes sprang open and he immediately obeyed, standing in front of them with his blank stare directed at Jisoo.

"Wha-? How did you-? What the hell?!"

While Zelo and Minzy watched with interest, Seokmin and the Wielder exchanged a troubled look. Mingyu and Wonwoo also joined them after seeing the Warrior awake. "He's just like Mingyu when we found him. He only listened to direct commands and couldn't think for himself," Jisoo explained and Jun's face fell.

"But you got him back with the forcebond..."

"I'm not letting Jisoo try to form a contract with an already bonded Forcebearer," Seokmin interjected, his expression hard, and Jun hastily agreed.

"I wouldn't want that either, especially after what happened back then with Minghao. But what _can_ we do? We have no chance against GD, at least not with Seunghyun and the rest of the Organisation at his side." A tense silence followed his words.

"If Vernon could leave, would you leave too? For good?" Wonwoo suddenly asked, his intense eyes directed at Mingyu.

Raising an eyebrow at the question, the Warrior nodded. "Of course. I didn't want to return in the first place but I owe him that much."

The Guardian seemed to ponder the answer for a few seconds, the attention of the group solely focused on him, and then he nodded as well. "I'll cut his bond."

"Wait, what?" They all looked baffled but Mingyu was the most bewildered. "I thought you can only see bonds, not influence them?!"

"I've only used it on you so far."

The Warrior's eyebrows knitted together at once. "Am I some sort of labrat to you or something?"

For a split second, annoyance flashed over Wonwoo's face before his usual calm facade returned. "You wanted to leave and I tried to help you. Even when I had to torture you, I went as soft as I possibly could without rousing suspicion, and when I was supposed to kill you, I brought you away and told everyone I got rid of your body. I knew you'd come back for him, so I stayed behind and waited instead of leaving with you. So no, you're not 'some sort of labrat'." His tone was as cold as ice.

Seokmin, Jun and Jisoo shared uneasy glances but the pair in front of them didn't seem to mind the audience. Mingyu had paled at Wonwoo's explanation, clearly at a loss for words, and the silence stretched out until Jisoo plucked up his courage and interrupted the staring contest.

"Uhm... I think you should maybe talk this out when you're both a bit less emotional... and maybe we c-could focus back on Hansol for now?" He ducked his head when Wonwoo's eyes moved to him but Mingyu sighed and patted the Wielder's shoulder.

"All right. Let's get him back to normal and then get out of this hell hole as fast as possible."

Wonwoo only shrugged and stepped closer to Hansol. Before closing his eyes, he placed his hands on the Warrior's shoulders, squeezing them lightly.

Jisoo sat down between Seokmin and Jun, careful not to make any noise, and waited for something to happen. Not long after, Jun's arm wrapped around his waist while Seokmin's arm rested on his shoulders. They watched as the tall Guardian's body tensed - but when he let go of Hansol, nothing seemed to have changed.

"Did it work?" Zelo asked curiously from the sidelines, Minzy sitting surprisingly close next to him.

"Yes."

"For real? That's it?" Jun looked disappointed. "But he's still all quiet and weird."

"I can get rid of the bond; I can't do anything against Seungri's ability." With those final words, Wonwoo sat down as well and fell silent, while Jun turned to Jisoo with a pleading look on his face.

The Wielder slowly got up, his reluctance obvious. "I don't want to forcebond him... he'll hate me afterwards...." he whispered and Seokmin caressed his thigh to comfort him. Jun looked almost as depressed as Jisoo felt, the thought of his brother in a forcebond clearly painful for him as well.

"Jun?" Everyone turned when a soft voice piped up next to them and Minzy flushed a pretty shade of scarlet at the sudden attention. "Wouldn't it- uhm, wouldn't it be possible to use Seungri's ability to get him back?"

Jun's face lit up at once. "You're a genius! Why didn't I think of that! God, I'm a freaking idiot."

Excitement took over, but Mingyu looked doubtful. "Don't get your hopes up. I'm not sure if he can reverse his effect."

"Who cares, let's try." Jun was already on his feet and craning his neck, looking for the unconscious male. Spotting him in the corner where Shownu had dropped him rather unceremoniously, he ran over and waved the others to come closer. After an order from Mingyu, Hansol and the rest followed him, leaving Zelo and Minzy behind.

Jun was holding the hand of the unconscious Warrior with an almost disgusted expression on his face and immediately grabbed his brother once he came into reach.  
"Sit down, Hansol. Urgh, that's the grossest feeling I've ever had while using an ability," he said, his nose wrinkled. "No clue how he can live like that and it's not even fully charged."

"I guess he used it all on Hansol a few days ago, that's why he had to hold onto Kihyun to control him," Mingyu speculated. "It's probably also why Kihyun is not affected anymore."

"Can you still use it to reverse the effect? Even when it's not charged?" Jisoo asked anxiously, twiddling with a thread from I.M's sweater until Seokmin took his hand.

"I need to figure out how first."

"Try imagine the flow of the ability and then reverse it," Wonwoo said from behind the group, making everyone jump.

"How's that supposed to help?" Mingyu grumbled but quieted down after a small nudge from his Wielder. His sentiment was clearly shared by Jun, who looked quite sceptical before he concentrated back on his task - but apparently the Guardian knew what he was talking about. After about two minutes of tense silence, a groan was heard and Hansol blinked, lifting his hand to rub his temple.

"Damn, my head hurts. Who- Jisoo?! Why are you-" The rest of his sentence got smothered when he got engulfed in a tight hug that left him unable to breathe, his face pressed into the Wielder's stomach. Seokmin had to come to his aid and pull Jisoo back who sheepishly let go and rubbed his nape.

Hansol still looked slightly dazed, a soft blush on his cheeks, when he yelped in pain and tried to shield his head. Instead of greeting his brother, Jun had gotten up and had rapped him on the head with his knuckles - hard. "You little shit! Do you have any idea what I went through?! First I get back and you're freaking gone and when I finally find you, you are- you are..." A sob disrupted his rant and he fell to his knees next to Hansol and hugged him, the Warrior timidly patting his back.

"Come on, stop crying. I'm okay, really." He sent pleading looks over Jun's shoulder towards Jisoo and Seokmin, who only smiled at his helplessness, and after a moment, his brother let go by himself. "Where are we? Where's the rest?" Hansol looked around but froze when he noticed Shownu's group. He tensed even more at the sight of Wonwoo, but then Mingyu stepped forward and a relieved smile made most of the fear on his face fade away.

"We're still in GD's house. Don't worry about those guys, they're okay, but we really need to-"

Jooheon's voice cut through the air once again, this time a lot more serious sounding than before. "Guys, get your asses over here, we have a problem. Take a look."  
The rest of Jooheon's group was already watching the screens they had somehow managed to turn on and he urgently waved them to join.

Jisoo helped Hansol up, which earned him an embarrassed smile, and together they followed the others who had already gone ahead. At first, he couldn't see anything since everything was hidden by the tall people in front of them but Mingyu reached out and pulled him and Hansol closer. The screens displayed the view of some of the cameras in the mansion and the Wielder had just opened his mouth to ask how they had managed to get into the system when he spotted what the Forcebearer was trying to show.

The male who stood in front of the hidden entrance to the basement looked tall even in the camera, his handsome face sharp and angular, adorned with thick brows the same auburn colour as his hair. He was flipping a little silver coin and looked completely relaxed, his eyes focused on the fridge in front of him.

"Who's that?" Jisoo asked and looked up, but the fear on the faces surrounding him caught him off-guard and his heart started to race.

Mingyu audibly swallowed, his voice barely a whisper. "Seunghyun is blocking the only exit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff for a change :)   
> Anyone wants to take a guess what TOP's ability could be, that everyone's so scared of? A hint: it has nothing to do with the coin


	44. Tension

" _That_ 's the most powerful Forcebearer in the Organisation? He doesn't look that strong," Zelo stated, eyeing the screen. Noticing the sceptical looks of the others, he raised his hands. "What?"

"You're a Forcebearer yourself; you should know not to judge by appearance," Seokmin reprimanded and Zelo's cheeks flushed a soft pink.

"I just imagined him to be more... bulky. Just from the way everyone is talking about him like he's some sort of monster."

Smiling at his defensive tone, Jisoo patted his shoulder. "I also thought he'd look more intimidating but just seeing him like that, he doesn't seem all that bad."

Jooheon snorted. "Yeah, let's hope you can keep that impression instead of actually meeting him. But I think we'll have to face him anyway because right now I can't think of any other way to get out of this house."

Hansol crossed his arms, a disbelieving expression on his face. "Are you seriously saying that this massive basement has only one exit? Even the smaller hide-outs have at least two or three for emergencies."

"Then go ahead and search for it. There's six floors underground with at least forty rooms each, most of them locked," Wonwoo said coldly and the Warrior fell silent at once.

"Uhm... excuse me, but what about Chaerin?" Minzy dared to ask and half-hid behind Zelo when the attention turned to her. Her reaction visibly pleased the young Warrior, who tried to hide his smug grin while puffing out his chest.

"Well, we were planning to open the cells and release the people but now I don't think that's a good idea," Mingyu responded, his expression pensive. "We would be trapped together with them and most are not exactly friendly. And we don't have time to go through all cells and only release the innocent ones; right now it's only Seunghyun but there might be more guards coming." At his words, Minzy's face fell and Seokmin sent her a sad look.

"Lee Chaerin? The daughter of Lee Sungwook? I know which cell she's in; I brought her food before," Kihyun interjected and blushed when Minzy's hopeful gaze fell on him - I.M was considerably less amused than the rest of his group.

"Let's just leave, we can't open the long term cells anyway," he grumbled, crossing his arms in protest.

"I have the keys," Wonwoo stated matter-of-factly, completely unimpressed by the Warrior's glare.

"Okay, then Minzy, Wonwoo and Kihyun are going to pick up the girl. But that won't help us get past Seunghyun," Shownu said, earning himself raised brows. Not only I.M but also Zelo looked less than happy with the instruction but before they could start an argument, Jisoo spoke, his eyes directed at Mingyu.

"Can't we use your illusions again? Like earlier with the guards?"

The Warrior bit his lip in thought, eyebrows scrunched together. "I could try, but I would have to trick the people at the cameras at the same time as him, which is really hard..."

"I'll take care of the cameras and the door, no worries," Jooheon piped up with a wide grin, arm slung around Minhyuk's neck.

The tall Warrior glanced at him questioningly before a similar grin stretched over his face. "Oh right, I forgot. Good, that's taken care of then. Zelo, can you do your noise cancel thing again? It's easier for me when I don't have to worry about outside sounds."

"Sure!" The younger gave him a thumbs up and Jisoo couldn't refrain from ruffling his hair, much to his chagrin.

Shownu grinned. "Okay, let's give this a try."

 

"Oh god, we're all gonna die."

"Stop being dramatic, Hyungwon. You're not helping," Wonho muttered through clenched teeth while he watched Jooheon use the screen at the door to the kitchen.

"And it's worth a try if Wonwoo can get rid of our bonds afterwards," Minhyuk added and Hyungwon stared him down.

"I'd rather stay alive and bonded than be dead and free, thank you very much."

"Nobody's going to die. Stop talking, you're distracting Jooheon," Shownu ordered and his group quieted down immediately. Just like he had suggested, Kihyun (and therefore I.M as well), Minzy and Wonwoo had left to get Chaerin, while the rest had made their way back towards the entrance of the basement - albeit a bit reluctantly on Zelo's part.

Jisoo curiously peered over Jooheon's shoulder and was surprised to find a picture of the kitchen on the screen, instead of the scanner Mingyu had used to get in earlier. "Is it supposed to show the outside?" he couldn't help but ask, but the Forcebearer didn't seem to mind the disruption.

"Yeah, it's one of its functions but it's hidden behind all sorts of passwords and security codes. I'm a Technopath, though, so those can't stop me."

"A what?" Jun placed his chin on Jisoo's shoulder to take a look as well, arms snaking around the Wielder's waist.

"He controls electronics," Mingyu explained and casually pulled the Warrior back by his shirt, causing Jisoo to stumble slightly. "I've actually never seen it in action before. It's much less impressive than I thought."

"Gee, thanks asshole, not like your ability looks all that impressive either," Jooheon said sulkily, causing Mingyu to grin at his words and the glare from Jun he had received. "Seunghyun is still in front of the door, so we gotta be careful. If he notices us, it's over." He turned back from the screen which was showing the regular options again and rubbed his hands. "I'll get the cameras in the kitchen to replay the last 15 minutes; we should leave as soon as the others are back. Are you guys ready?"

"Yup, I've been blocking our noises since we arrived here," Zelo confirmed, but Mingyu shook his head, brows furrowed.

Everyone got into position, Mingyu and Jooheon at the front of the group, closely followed by Zelo.

Jisoo shuffled nervously on his designated spot behind Shownu, near the back, and the Forcebearer turned around at the sound, smiling at the sight of his tense face. "Do you like pets?"

The Wielder couldn't help but stare for a moment at the seemingly random question before he nodded. "Uh... s-sure?" His eyes widened when the bulky male in front of him began to shrink and he took a wary step back when fur started to sprout on the body, that was slowly vanishing inside the clothes. Soon nothing was left but his shirt, pants and shoes, but then a small, white head with large ears poked out of one of the sleeves.

The rabbit scampered closer and nudged Jisoo's leg, who watched it with astonishment. He jumped when Minhyuk's voice sounded behind him. "He likes to get his ears petted. They're really soft; try it."

With slight hesitation, Jisoo kneeled down and carefully touched Shownu's head, marvelling at the silkiness of his fur while Minhyuk picked up the discarded clothes.

"I'm glad he chose something small, usually he rips them up completely and Kihyun has to sew them back together."

"Can he turn into whatever he wants?" Jisoo asked with twinkling eyes, Shownu's small body tucked close to his chest.

"Only animals, but yeah, all of them. He normally picks stuff like a bear or a panther when we're out to fight, sometimes a mouse when he needs to get in somewhere. It's a really convenient ability. But Shownu, I think you should stay human this time, a gun is gonna help more than fangs."

The rabbit twitched its nose and wiggled its ears; Jisoo had to force himself not to coo. Reluctantly he let go of the bunny who jumped from his lap and down the stairs, Minhyuk following with Shownu's clothes until they were both out of sight.

"Why are you on the floor? Feeling sick?"

The Wielder looked up at the sound of Hansol's voice and smiled at the sight of the Warrior and Seokmin, both uncharacteristically serious, the Healer already reaching towards his face. Seokmin's fingertips wandered over his forehead and it was hard to determine whether the tingles that ran through his body were due to the Guardian's ability or because he enjoyed the gentle touch.

"I'm okay, just a bit nervous," he mumbled and opened his eyes when Hansol sat down next to him and awkwardly wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Shownu's group is famous for having strong Forcebearers. As long as they help us, we'll be out in a breeze," the Warrior said, avoiding to look at Jisoo's smiling face.

"I can't wait for this whole thing to be over." Seokmin sat down at the Wielder's other side with a weary sigh and took his hand, playing with his fingers. They remained in comfortable silence for a moment.

"What did you do while we were gone?"

Jisoo stiffened at Hansol's sudden question and Seokmin squeezed his hand in response. "...nothing much," he finally answered, "just regular university stuff."

"Got any new Forcebearers?" The _to replace us_ remained unsaid but everyone heard it anyway.

"I _bonded_ with Mingyu," Jisoo replied, his tone sharper than usual, "but he'll cancel the contract once this mess is over."

The Forcebearers shared a look and Hansol raised a sceptical eyebrow while Seokmin sent a doubting glance towards the tall Warrior, who was watching them from afar instead of concentrating on his ability like he was supposed to.

"Yeah, sure." Hansol tried to hide the sarcasm dripping from his voice with a cough. "Anyway..." It seemed to cost the Warrior considerable effort to face the Wielder and his cheeks immediately tinted red after he had turned in his direction, scooting a few inches back to be able to look at Jisoo properly. He cleared his throat twice. "Uhm, would you- do you think you could- well, uh, ImissbeingbondedtoyoupleaseformacontractwithmeandJunagain?!"

His sudden rise in volume had visibly startled the Wielder while Seokmin had to bite back his laughter. "E-excuse me?"

The Warrior took a deep breath and focused on Jisoo's chin to avoid his gaze. "Please form a new contract with me?"

The silence that followed his request was heavy and Hansol fidgeted in his spot, still not daring to look his former Wielder in the eyes. Jisoo's eyebrows had furrowed as soon as the words had left Hansol's lips. "Why? The situation didn't change, did it? Even if you don't have feelings for me anymore, you said you can't stay with a Wielder your brother's in love with."

The cold tone of Jisoo's voice made the Warrior flinch and he hung his head, his eyes watering. "I know." He swallowed several times, but didn't seem to be able to get rid of the lump in his throat. "I'm a freaking idiot but I was scared. I still am," he whispered, his voice somewhat strangled, and the first teardrop ran down his cheek.

Jisoo's heart hurt at the sight but the pain he had gone through during the past few weeks was enough to make him hesitate. Several beats of silence passed between them, while Hansol tried to stifle his quiet sobs and Seokmin kept glancing at his Wielder, until - finally - Jisoo couldn't bear it anymore and reached out. At the feeling of soft fingers on his cheeks, Hansol looked up, but even more tears spilled when he got caught in Jisoo's warm gaze. Without any of his former hesitation, the Wielder pulled him into his arms, although he looked slightly flustered in front of not only his own but also Shownu's group, his cheeks flushed pink.

Hansol had stiffened for a few seconds before he snuggled against Jisoo's chest. The Wielder's embrace was as secure and loving as he remembered it to be and words couldn't describe how much he had craved it during the dark hours after they had left.

Even after Seokmin had tactfully excused himself and the Warrior had stopped crying, they remained entangled, their touch giving them a sense of comfort.

"Why were you scared?" Jisoo asked quietly, his fingers drawing patterns on Hansol's back.

A contemplative look crossed Hansol's features, before it got replaced by a weak but earnest smile. "It really _does_ scare me that I have feelings for the same person as my brother," they both blushed at his words before he continued, "but we decided to leave because we know how dangerous the Organisation really is. We just wanted to keep you and the others safe... clearly didn't work all that well," he said with a dry laugh. "I know it's selfish to want a contract with you again but..." Unable to finish his sentence, he nuzzled deeper into Jisoo's neck and the Wielder's arms around him tightened.

"You can leave as soon as you're not comfortable anymore." Jisoo's voice was calm and Hansol immediately raised his head and searched his eyes.

"You gonna bond with me again?! For real?!"

 

Jisoo stood hand in hand with Seokmin, half-hidden behind Shownu's broad shoulders. They were waiting for Mingyu's sign to leave and the Wielder felt a wild mixture of emotions that seemed to weigh down his shoulders - not all of them his own. Seokmin was scared and although there was no sign of fear visible on his face, it became obvious by the tightness with which he held onto Jisoo's hand. Mingyu in contrast was mostly calm and concentrated on his task but an underlying restlessness bubbled up from time to time, causing him to lose grip on his ability. Hansol was the only one completely unaffected by what was going to come. The Warrior radiated happiness and Jisoo couldn't help but smile at the feeling. When their bond had formed once again, it was as if something had snapped back into place and filled a hole in his chest he hadn't been aware of. For a second he wondered what it would feel like to reclaim all his bonds, but he quickly banished the thought. As long as the others weren't willing to return, he would leave them be and pray for them to be happy.

To keep his mind from wandering, he focused on Chan's and Minghao's bonds. He missed them both terribly and the thought that something might have happened without him knowing was terrifying, but their bonds remained closed off, the only solace he found was the fact that they still existed. Gently he pushed against the blockade to at least get a glimpse at their feelings, to reassure himself that everything was okay, but it was like trying to move a brick wall and after a while he gave up.

Jisoo's concentration broke when Mingyu finally got up, determination on his face. "Okay, ready."

Jooheon next to him nodded, no trace left of his usual mischievous grin, and Zelo followed suit. The tension in the air was palpable when Jooheon raised his arm and the door to the kitchen opened with a quiet hiss, revealing the Forcebearer waiting in front of it. Just like Zelo had said, Seunghyun didn't look all that intimidating. In fact, he was humming a quiet tune in a surprisingly deep and melodic voice while absent mindedly playing with his coin, completely relaxed, and the Wielder thought to himself that the male could also be a model in a catalogue for kitchenware the way he looked casually handsome at that very moment.

Although Zelo was blocking their sounds, nobody dared to speak and Jisoo even held his breath when Mingyu began to slowly inch forward, out of the cold neon light of the basement into the yellowish light of the kitchen. The others followed closely behind and even though the room itself was not that big, the door seemed to be miles away. Soon it was Jisoo's and Seokmin's turn to move, followed by Minzy and Jun, the latter carrying Chaerin's unconscious body on his back, who brought up the rear. Stepping out of the false safety of the basement, the door closed behind them and the intense feeling of being trapped immediately made the hairs on Jisoo's skin stand, while Mingyu reached for the handle of the door that led to the hallways.

The Wielder's heart sank at the panic that suddenly flooded his chest, before the tall Warrior turned around, his face eerily calm. "It's locked. Do you have the key, Wonwoo?"

The Guardian only shook his head and the tension in the room rose even higher.

I.M pushed Kihyun forward, who stumbled slightly before he caught himself. "Melt the lock or something."

Visibly intimidated by the pressure, the Warrior focused on the door, his face turning red at the effort he was expending. After a long moment, his shoulders slumped. His voice shook when he spoke. "I'm so sorry. It's not made out of something I can control..."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Hansol hissed. "What about the windows? Can we smash them?" Everyone was crowding around the exit by now, their expressions ranging from worry to desperation.

"They're bulletproof." Wonho dismissed the idea. "And for god's sake, stop pulling my sleeve, Minhyuk."

"Guys." Minhyuk's voice was unusually high and they looked up at once. The Warrior was staring at something behind them, his face pale, and everyone tensed before following his gaze.

Seunghyun was still leaning against the wall, but he had turned slightly and had stopped playing with his coin, his dark eyes boring into Minhyuk's. A small smile was playing on his lips when he focused on Mingyu instead and spoke. "Nice try."

A shiver ran down Jisoo's spine at the smoothness of the Forcebearer's voice - but then the room flashed a blinding white and the Wielder was kneeling on the ground, cradling Seokmin's dead body. The blood of his friends was painting the floor red.


	45. The Bodyguard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Somewhat disturbing death related content in the first part of the chapter. I'll mark it in case you want to skip.

*******

 

The smell of blood hung heavily in the air, suffocating him.

Each of Jisoo's quick, shallow breaths seemed unbearably loud in the otherwise deathly quiet kitchen. They rang in his ears.

Numbly he reached for Hansol's cold wrist to pull him closer - a sad attempt to feel less alone in this madness - but the limp body was too heavy and after a few futile attempts the Wielder gave up with a choked off sob, tears dripping onto Seokmin's lifeless face. Jisoo remained motionless for a long moment, just tracing the Healer's features with his gaze. It took effort not to look at the bullet hole in his forehead, almost hidden by his fringe but still glaringly obvious and terrifying.

The blood that continued to trickle from Jisoo's hairline stung in his eyes, pulling him out of his daze, an unwelcome reminder that he was still alive. With a jerky hand movement, he tried to wipe it away but only smeared it further down his cheek. He froze at the thought of Seokmin's disapproving frown. The Healer would probably say something along the lines of "dirty fingers" and "disinfectant" - but the fact that now his voice would only remain as a fading memory made the situation all the more crushing.

A scream burned in Jisoo's chest, caught between his struggling lungs and his shattered heart. He could feel it trying to claw its way out.

It hurt.

He wanted to rip it out, rip everything apart; the kitchen, the lifeless bodies, himself. But he was utterly helpless and stuck. Stuck in a situation he could neither change nor take control of, and nothing apart from quiet sobs left his mouth.

Once again he looked around and took in the sight that would forever be burned into his mind, haunting and tormenting him.

Jun was curled up in the corner of the kitchen, his back towards the Wielder and his formerly grey hoodie dyed crimson. Not too far off were Jihoon, Jeonghan and Seungcheol, huddled close together even in death, surprise frozen on their faces. Jisoo's eyes wandered to Mingyu whose neck was bent at an unnatural angle, empty gaze returning his. Before the Wielder could turn towards Chan's mangled form, a flicker seemed to run over the dead face of his Bonded.

To his indescribable horror, the corpse opened its mouth.

 

*******

 

"Jisoo!"

Everything flashed white and the crying Wielder found himself once again in the kitchen, this time face to face with a very much alive version of Mingyu. The tall Warrior was the only one who didn't look shaken - even Wonwoo was paler than usual - and Jisoo immediately buried his face in Mingyu's chest, his whimpers muffled by his thick jacket.

"It wasn't real; it was just an illusion! I noticed it too late, I'm so sorry!" The Warrior awkwardly petted his hair, guilt radiating through their bond, and the Wielder had just lifted his head to ask what exactly was going on when he got grabbed and harshly pulled backwards, a frightened squeak leaving his lips at the sudden movement. Mingyu's protests got drowned out by Jun, Hansol and Seokmin, who smothered Jisoo with almost painful hugs, small kisses and a flood of questions. Even while touching every part of the Wielder they could reach to assure themselves that he was okay, the eyes of the brothers remained suspiciously wet and Seokmin's fingers kept shaking.

They weren't the only ones acting off either: Shownu's group was huddled together as well, some crying, some visibly disturbed, while Minzy held onto Zelo's trembling hands and looked like she would never let go again.

"What an adorable sight." A deep voice cut through the turmoil, causing everyone to fall silent at once and to turn towards Seunghyun who had watched the scene unfold with a smile, a hand gun loosely directed at them. "Abilities that mess with the mind are always my favourite. I'll never get why you don't use yours more often, Mingyu."

"I'm not a sadistic motherfucker for a start," the Warrior snarled, stepping protectively in front of the others, and Seunghyun's smile grew wider.

"Well, it brought me quite far in life."

"You bas-" Before I.M could finish his insult, Wonwoo had already raised his own gun and fired twice, the sound deafening. Seunghyun had to jump aside in order to not get hit. Still, his ear got grazed and a thin trail of blood ran into his collar when he looked back up, his gaze dark. In one fluid motion, he aimed at I.M, everyone's eyes widening at the sight.

"Changkyun!" Kihyun was the first to cry out.

"Kihyun, no!"

"Don't use it!"

Pots, pans, knives and cutlery seemed to come to life, bursting out of the kitchen cabinets with enough force to tear the doors off their hinges. They sped towards Seunghyun while his gun got ripped out of his hand - but he only grinned, intently focused on the weapons of Wonwoo and Shownu's group. With a horrific screeching sound, their barrels began to bend, rendering the guns useless, before the kitchen utensils came to an abrupt halt mid-air, only centimetres in front of him. His grin widened when they turned around and hurtled towards the group at the door, his own weapon returning to its owner.

"Duck!"

Everyone followed the command and suddenly they were surrounded by replicas of Hyungwon, which blocked Seunghyun's sight, while the kitchenware went right through the images and clashed against the wall behind them. Seunghyun seemed unimpressed and with one nod, all of Hyungwon's images stepped aside, clearing the way. Jisoo could hear Hyungwon curse next to him, almost drowned out by the sound of clothes ripping, and his copies vanished like smoke just when a massive tiger charged at Seunghyun. The Forcebearer lifted his gun.

The sound of a shot made them flinch and their ears ring loudly, but the bullet went right into the wall thanks to Kihyun, who took it upon himself to take Seunghyun's gun away once again. This time he made sure to render it useless as well.

For the first time this night, the Forcebearer in front of them looked genuinely angry and Jisoo hid his face in Seokmin's shoulder when Shownu transformed mid-jump into a small bird and got hit by one of the heavy cast-iron pans with a sickening sound. While his group looked on in horror, the Shapeshifter tumbled to the floor together with the pan and remained there motionless. It took the combined strength of Mingyu and Hyungwon to stop Jooheon from dashing forward.

Dusting off his jacket, Seunghyun didn't even spare him a glance. "That gun was a very expensive gift from my Wielder, Kihyun."

The metal-user blanched when the Forcebearer addressed him directly but I.M immediately moved in between them, one hand hidden behind his back. "Tough luck, asshole." With one quick movement, he threw a fork with as much force as he possibly could muster, forcing Seunghyun to dodge. "Now!"

Zelo used the distraction to sent a piercing sound in the Forcebearer's direction that rattled the windows and made him grimace before he could deflect it. At the same time, Kihyun raised his hands and the taps turned on at once, flooding the sinks with water. Wonho stepped forward. With a snap of his fingers, the water froze and shattered, ragged ice shards immediately making their way towards Seunghyun. "Someone get Shownu!"

Minhyuk and Jisoo sprinted forward at the same time, the Wielder ignoring the distressed voices of his Bonded behind him, and almost simultaneously reached the fallen shapeshifter. They shared a quick look before the Warrior picked up speed again. "You take him."

With a nod, Jisoo slid to a halt and carefully scooped up the little bird while Minhyuk attacked Seunghyun, quickly joined by I.M as well as Hansol's and Jun's clones. Rushing back to Seokmin, who was anxiously waiting for him, the Wielder handed over Shownu to the Healer and turned back towards the ongoing battle, Jooheon and Hyungwon hurrying over to take a look at their leader.

Although he was fighting six people at once, Seunghyun didn't look distressed in the slightest. Instead he waved his hands in an almost serene manner, reminding Jisoo of a conductor leading an orchestra through a particularly difficult piece, while he used his attackers' abilities as if they were his own. Minhyuk screamed in pain when Wonho's ice shards cut into his skin and the clones were writhing on the floor in an attempt to hold onto I.M's poisonous skin, who struggled to break free. Wonho had to duck when a meat cleaver made its way in his direction, almost cutting open his face, and when Zelo tried to attack once again, the Forcebearer sent the attack right back. The remaining group at the door had to protect their ears before the young Warrior could deflect it into the wall, Seokmin almost dropping Shownu in the process.

"Fuck, doesn't this guy have any weakness?" Hyungwon growled while watching Seunghyun redirect another onslaught of attacks.

Wonwoo raised a brow at him. "If you had shot him directly, we wouldn't have any problems now. He's only human."

"Not everyone is as cold-hearted as you," Mingyu hissed without looking in his direction, and for a moment, hurt flashed over the Guardian's face. Nobody had noticed it but Jisoo, who had watched the interaction from the sidelines. A strange sort of sympathy bloomed in his chest for the usually indifferent male. Wonwoo seemed to have noticed his gaze and turned away from him after a short, bitter look, focusing back on the ongoing battle. The Wielder followed suit, recoiling immediately when Kihyun got hit in the head by the same pan that had hit Shownu, knocking him out cold.

"No! Kihyun!" The clones vanished once Hansol and Jun stopped using their abilities and I.M stumbled towards his friend, not minding his surroundings anymore.

"Changkyun, watch out!" Wonho futilely tried to change the path of a heavy icicle and the group at the door collectively gasped when it struck I.M with crushing force. Without a sound, he fell, not getting up again.

"Stop using my ability!" Wonho's angry roar almost got drowned out by Minhyuk's anguished scream. The shards at his feet had begun to combine and ice was crawling over his skin, binding him to the floor next to Seunghyun. He struggled even more when the Forcebearer reached out and wrapped his fingers around the Warrior's throat but the thick layer of ice grew at an alarming rate and prevented his escape, more and more being added from the water in the sinks. Wonho was frantically trying to regain control over his ability but he was completely helpless. As the ice reached his hips, Minhyuk's lips slowly turned blue while the hands around his throat tightened. Tears were streaming down his face before his body finally grew limp after a last violent shudder. The ice stopped crawling upwards as soon as Wonho gave up. Only a few seconds later, Seunghyun got tackled to the ground by Jooheon and Hyungwon.

"We need to help them," Jisoo urged, flinching when Hyungwon's pained shout rang through the air after Seunghyun had single-handedly dislocated his shoulder.

"Don't. He's GD's personal bodyguard and an excellent fighter even without his ability," Wonwoo replied, his face as blank as if he was talking about the weather.

"Too bad; let's try anyway," Hansol dismissed before he stormed forward without a second thought.

"Idiot!" Jun didn't hesitate to run after his brother, unlike Mingyu who looked much less willing but followed after a short delay anyway, joined by Wonho. The Wielder tried to follow as well but got held back by Seokmin while Wonwoo wordlessly shook his head at their recklessness.

Seunghyun had armed himself with the first thing in his reach, a broom; not a particularly intimidating weapon but in the hands of an obviously trained martial artist it became quite terrifying. Jisoo struggled against Seokmin's hold when the wooden handle connected with Jooheon's throat after jabbing Mingyu in the stomach, but the Healer's grip only tightened around his arms. "I want to help too, Minnie, please," he pleaded, his eyes focused on Jooheon's passed out form.

"You'll get hurt."

"At least let me get Minhyuk and Jooheon. Maybe Hyungwon-" Jun crashed to the floor with enough force to make a small stack of plates slide from a nearby counter and Jisoo froze for a second before he struggled even harder. "Please! We can't leave them like this! Do something!"

Zelo, who had stayed back together with Minzy, guarding Chaerin and Shownu, stepped forward hesitantly. "I'm not a great physical fighter but since he's distracted right now, maybe I can knock him out with my ability."

Seokmin looked sceptical but the Wielder visibly calmed down at the suggestion. "Can you do it with one hit?"

"I think so but I probably have to gather some sounds first to make sure it's strong enough."

"Okay then-" Jisoo gasped when Hansol's nose started bleeding profusely after it had gotten hit by Seunghyun's elbow. "-please hurry."

Although Jooheon and Hyungwon were out of the fight, Wonho, Mingyu, Hansol and Jun - who was getting back on his feet with a pained expression on his face - were posing quite a challenge to Seunghyun. It was obvious that even bruised and battered they had no plans on giving up. The broom found its targets multiple times but slowly the Forcebearer had gotten backed into a corner and his attacks got even more ferocious when Mingyu landed a hit on his side and Wonho almost made him fall with a well placed kick to the knee which he couldn't deflect in time.

Still caught in Seokmin's tight grip, Jisoo was engrossed in the fight, wincing every time his friends got hit but also hoping for Zelo to finish preparing quickly. The younger had retreated into the corner closest to the door and was pulling and plucking at seemingly nothing in front of him, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Just when Jisoo peeked at him for the third time, the Warrior caught his gaze and nodded.

"Stay back everyone!"

Jun had to pull Hansol away from Seunghyun while Wonho and Mingyu listened at once and retreated, leaving the Forcebearer behind. Zelo already looked triumphant when he unleashed his attack and Seunghyun's eyes widened once he noticed. The air flickered slightly when the heavily condensed soundwaves made their way towards him in less than a second and the Forcebearer's face lost all of its colour while he tried to take control, the broom in front of him disintegrating once the attack hit.

The sound that followed shook the walls. Even more porcelain and glass burst into pieces, forcing the group to duck and protect their faces from flying shards. Silence filled the air.

When Jisoo dared to look up from Seokmin's chest, he felt the blood rapidly draining from his face: In the corner, albeit badly scratched up, stood Seunghyun, arms protectively crossed in front of him.

The Wielder glanced at the others, who looked just as disbelieving, before quiet whimpers made him turn around. Minzy was trying to shake Zelo awake, who was lying stretched out on the floor, bleeding from his nose and ears, his chest barely moving. Jisoo felt his knees go weak at the sight. A dreadful sense of defeat ran through him when he turned back and his eyes met Seunghyun's, who somehow still managed to look less exhausted than the rest of them. Seokmin moved over to Zelo's still form in the corner after squeezing the Wielder's arms in a somewhat encouraging manner while Hansol, Jun, Mingyu, Wonwoo and Wonho gathered around Jisoo.

Everything came to a standstill, only the sound of the running taps cut through the silence, sometimes accompanied by Minzy's quiet sniffles. The kitchen resembled a battle field; broken furniture and all kinds of metal appliances were littering the floor around multiple unconscious bodies, everything drenched in an unappetizing mixture of ice water, blood and condiments.

Without a warning, the handle of the kitchen door shook and everyone turned to look at it, even Seunghyun. Jisoo could hear a key getting inserted and with a quiet _click_ the door unlocked and got pulled wide open.

In front of them stood an oddly young looking man with blond hair, the rolled up sleeves of his dress shirt revealing a colourful dragon tattoo wrapped around the mark of a Wielder. Jisoo would have stared longer if movement behind the male hadn't attracted his attention. His eyes widened in horror at the sight of Chan, Minghao, Jihoon, Seungcheol and Jeonghan surrounded by six guards. They were handcuffed and especially Minghao and Chan looked quite beat up - but all of their faces lit up nonetheless as soon as they saw that the Wielder was unharmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case someone is confused by Seunghyun's ability: He can manipulate the abilities of other Forcebearers as long as they currently use them. He's not like Jun, who replicates a certain ability and uses it freely, instead he's able to manipulate all abilities that are currently in use at once without any physical contact. Of course that also allows him to notice when abilities are being used around him (which is how he found them trying to sneak past him).
> 
> Seunghyun wouldn't be able to clone himself with Hansol's ability or turn into an animal like Shownu, but he's able to control Hansol's clone and can force Shownu to change form. The downside is that once no ability is being used, his ability becomes useless.
> 
> Please write me if something is still unclear, I'm happy to answer your questions :)


	46. The Dragon

"And just what's going on in here?" the Wielder with the dragon tattoo drawled while he eyed the state of the kitchen and the people inside.

A chill ran down Jisoo's spine when the cold gaze landed on him and he had to fight the urge to cower and hide behind his Forcebearers. Mingyu's and Hansol's fear only amplified the feeling. Hastily he blocked his bonds when Seokmin took a worried step in his direction and the other Wielder turned towards the movement.

Something about the person at the door terrified Jisoo, but it was different from Seunghyun, whose ability and actions invoked fear. Maybe it was the knowledge that this Wielder was responsible for everything bad that had happened so far, maybe it was because he had a distinct aura of ruthlessness surrounding him, or maybe it was simply because he seemed bored even when he was met with the sight of blood and unconscious bodies.

The face of the Wielder twitched when Seunghyun took too long to answer the question and dread crawled up Jisoo's spine. He glanced at the Forcebearer, whose body had stiffened, teeth clenched and a vein pulsing on his temple. It took a long moment before Seunghyun relaxed and finally replied. "Don't mind me. I'm just taking out the trash." While Seunghyun's expression was once again calm, it couldn't quite hide the underlying restlessness in his eyes.

"Funny." An unamused smile played on the tattooed Wielder's lips. "It's even funnier that there are a few faces here I didn't expect to see." Wonho paled when Jiyong's eyes flitted in his direction, but after a sharp look, he moved on to Wonwoo. His voice became sickly sweet in fake surprise. "Wonwoo. I was wondering why you were so enthusiastic about getting rid of your friend. Seems I got my answer now."

"Jiyong." The Guardian nodded in acknowledgement but remained quiet afterwards, his face as impassive as ever. Jisoo wholeheartedly admired his bravery. An uncomfortable silence filled the room while Wonwoo and the Wielder stared each other down.

Warm relief flooded Jisoo's chest unexpectedly and mixed with his own fear. Chan had opened his bond and the Wielder sent him a shaky smile despite the dire situation. The eyes of the group at the door were still directed at him and it made him even more self-conscious than usual. While Chan, Minghao and Seungcheol seemed mostly relieved, Jihoon looked angry while muttering to himself (the Wielder felt a certain sense of nostalgia at the sight) and Jeonghan's face remained suspiciously blank.

At the sight of Minghao's and Chan's bruises, the Wielder couldn't help but blame himself. It also hurt him to know that the three brothers had gotten involved in this mess even though he had worked so hard to prevent it. The scarring images from Seunghyun's illusion flashed through his head and he tried to push them as far into the back of his mind as possible. Still, it took him a moment until his breathing had returned to its regular pattern.

A sudden movement by Wonwoo made Jisoo recoil against Mingyu's chest. The group looked on in silent horror as the Guardian fell to his knees, grimacing and hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. No sound was leaving his lips but it was obvious that he was in excruciating pain.

"Do you really think you can rebel against your Wielder?" Jiyong snarled and Jisoo felt the hairs at the back of his neck rising at the venomous tone. "You're bound to me; I own you. I can end your pitiful life right here, right now."

Helplessly, Jisoo looked on while Wonwoo was writhing on the floor. Just when he couldn't bear it anymore and had opened his mouth in hopes of distracting the other Wielder, Mingyu gently pulled him back and stepped forward. "You forcebond people and torture them into submission but then you expect them to stay loyal. What a fucking joke."

Wonwoo stopped twitching when Jiyong focused on the tall Warrior instead. "And what are you going to do about it?" he asked smoothly. Visibly taken aback by the question, Mingyu remained silent and Jiyong smiled. "That's what I thought. Now back to you." His cold gaze returned to Wonwoo who immediately stiffened.

"Uhm. E-excuse me." Jisoo had absolutely no idea what he was going to say, but the urge to stop the other Wielder from torturing the Guardian any further was stronger than his reason and the warning glares of his friends. He forced himself to remain calm when Jiyong turned to him, the thoughts in his head racing for anything he could do to defuse the situation. "I th-think that-"

"You're a bag of shit and a horrible Wielder," Hansol interrupted and Jisoo felt the blood drain from his face at once while Jiyong's expression visibly darkened.

"Yeah, must suck to be so insecure," Jun added casually, a smirk on his lips.

"Th-That's n-not-," Jisoo tried to salvage but got interrupted once again.

"How many asses did you have to kiss to get that far?" Mingyu asked and the Jisoo quickly hit his shoulder and pulled him back.

"What the heck are you d-doing?!" he hissed, while Jiyong stepped further into the kitchen, the other group and their stoic guards remaining in the doorway.

"I'd rather he focuses on us than on you."

Jisoo puffed out his cheeks. Deciding that this wasn't the right time to argue, he turned his attention back to the tattooed Wielder, who was watching them with a murderous glint in his eyes.

Everyone tensed when he reached into the pocket of his pants. Jisoo expected him to pull out a gun or something equally threatening but instead a silvery ornate piece of metal made its appearance. The relief he felt only lasted until Jiyong expertly flicked his wrist and the tool flipped open, revealing the gleaming blade of a butterfly knife.

With a deliberately slow movement, Jiyong pointed it at Hansol and gauged their reaction. Unlike his Forcebearers, Jisoo couldn't quite hide his worry. His frown only deepened when the sharp knife swung towards Seokmin while the Healer remained composed, eyes focused on the weapon and one hand still placed on Zelo's chest. There was no sign of fear in his expression although Minzy's breathing had quickened behind him.

Seokmin's calm facade slipped when Jiyong moved on and aimed at Jisoo's face. It was almost unnoticeable, only visible in the way his knuckles whitened, but he was not the only one. Chan audibly sucked in a breath, Jihoon began mumbling to himself again and Mingyu moved ever so slightly to further hide the Wielder behind his back.

Those small reactions were enough for Jiyong's keen eyes. In one quick motion, he hurled the knife in the Wielder's direction, causing Seokmin and Seungcheol to scream in fright.

Although his first impulse was to freeze and wait for the inevitable, Jisoo made sure to shove Mingyu away from him in an attempt to keep at least the Warrior safe. When no pain ran through him, he turned back and found the knife suspended in air while Jiyong examined the people present with sudden interest.

"Which ability is it? Air? Metal as well?"

Jisoo jumped and whirled around at the sound of Seunghyun's deep voice almost directly behind him. "Telekinesis, I think."

The feeling of dread that had been building in his stomach spiked when the Wielder came face to face with the Forcebearer, who grinned down on him.

Jiyong's voice sounded unnaturally loud in the silence. "One of the Others. I'm a lucky man today. Take him."

Mingyu and Wonho tried to step in but Minghao's ability hurled them through the air like ragdolls. While the tall Warrior hit the wall next to the door with his back, Wonho crashed head first into a row of cupboards, breaking most of them, and remained unconscious on the floor.

Meanwhile, Jisoo struggled against the iron grip that had closed around his upper arm but froze once several voices screamed his name. Burning pain shot through his neck, followed by sticky wetness.

"You might accidentally slit your throat if you keep struggling," Jiyong pointed out casually while he sauntered towards them, ignoring the hateful glares directed at him. He took his knife from Seunghyun and used Jisoo's shoulder to wipe the blood off the blade. The predatory smile that played on his lips contradicted the coldness of his eyes when he examined the Wielder. "They all seem pretty worried about you, so you're either very weak or very important - or maybe both."

Forcing himself to keep eye contact, Jisoo stayed quiet, fear making his body grow numb. He was certain that his stutter would be too strong to answer properly anyway.

A shiver ran down his spine when Seunghyun's smooth voice rang next to his ear. "If you come any closer, I'll break his arm."

Jisoo didn't know who the Forcebearer was talking to, but the silence that filled the room grew even heavier. For a few seconds, he contemplated opening his bonds to check whether Mingyu was alright and maybe get some comfort from Seokmin but he decided against it - he didn't want his Forcebearers to know how utterly terrified he was.

"Let's find out about you, shall we?" Jiyong whispered and lowered his knife to Jisoo's wrist, Seunghyun's grip getting painfully tight when the Wielder tried to pull back.

"Leave him alone, you sick bastards!" Hansol couldn't hold back anymore but he didn't dare to come closer after the earlier threat. Seunghyun sneered at him over Jisoo's shoulder.

Instead of moving his attention away from his target, Jiyong waved his free hand distractedly in the direction of the guards at the door, gaze still fixed on the Wielder's arm. "Shoot the next one who talks."

Jisoo immediately stopped struggling and stared at his Forcebearers in terror when the guards saluted. Hansol and Jun stayed close to each other, only a few meters away, and returned his stare, anger and helplessness written all over their faces. Seokmin and Wonwoo had hurried to Mingyu's side after he had crashed into the wall and the Healer looked almost as pale as the tall Warrior, both of them not daring to move even the slightest bit. The group at the door as well as Minzy seemed frozen in fear, eyes wide and filled with rage.

Jisoo focused back on the source of his problem when Jiyong's cold fingers wrapped around his hand. He turned the left one up first, examining the palm, before he moved on to the right. Seemingly dissatisfied with what he had found, he flicked his knife and sliced through the fabric of Jisoo's sleeve as if it was butter, all the way up to his shoulder. Several of the Forcebearers sucked in air at the sudden action and Jisoo's heartbeat sped up even more at the close proximity of the blade to his skin.

Jiyong examined his arm next, his fingers leaving goosebumps in their wake. With a frown, he raised his knife once again, getting dangerously close to Jisoo's already bleeding throat.

"W-what are you d-doing?! Stop!" the Wielder blurted, struggling once again when Jiyong began to cut through the front of his clothes, starting at the neckband of the hoodie, his pace deliberately slow. Jisoo recoiled when the tip of the knife nicked his chest but Seunghyun was like a wall behind him, preventing his escape. Blood began to seep into the remnants of his shirt and Jisoo's tears turned the horrified faces of his friends into blurry splotches before he closed his eyes and waited for whatever was going to come.

It ended as soon as cool air hit his bare upper body, what was left of his cut-up clothes sliding onto the floor with a silent _thud_. Seunghyun adjusted his grip and Jisoo could feel bruises forming already while Jiyong's fingers dug into his waist, making his skin crawl at the contact.

"Huh. I expected a Guardian, not a Wielder." It took a moment for Jisoo's eyes to focus back on the tattooed Wielder who was examining the mark on his hip with blatant fascination. "Good. Now I just have to get rid of you." The smile he sent Jisoo was truly devilish and the Wielder bit back a terrified sob.

But before Jiyong could do anything else, a sound made him look up and turn towards the wrecked kitchen unit. Seunghyun also turned, pulling Jisoo with him who stumbled in an attempt not to fall. With a quiet _hiss_ , the door behind the fridge swung open and out stepped Seungri, face pale and a piece of ripped up cloth messily wrapped around his head. His formerly pristine outfit was crinkled and dirty.

The last spark of hope in Jisoo's chest fizzled out at that sight and judging by the aghast faces of Mingyu, Seokmin and Hansol, he was not alone.

"What the hell happened to you?" The tattooed Wielder sounded annoyed and Seungri winced in pain when his bond tightened in reaction.

"That asshole knocked me out." He nodded towards Wonwoo who had a hard time keeping his neutral expression, fear creeping over his face when Jiyong stalked in his direction.

Once again, the Wielder tried to break free but Seunghyun's grip tightened dangerously and he had to suppress a shout of pain. It slipped out as a gasp when the device in his ear activated, announcing an established connection with a quiet _beep_. Jisoo's heart leaped at the sound of Seungkwan's voice.

"Get ready, guys. We're starting in 3... 2... 1..."


	47. Mindgames

As the seconds ticked by, nothing happened.

Jiyong was still on his way towards Wonwoo, Seungri following him like a dog, and Seunghyun's grip was still too tight around Jisoo's arms. The Wielder could feel his hands slowly grow numb at the pressure. Fearfully, he peeked at his team members and took in Seokmin's puzzled expression and Mingyu's confused frown. The thought that he wasn't the only clueless person in the room made him feel a little bit better.

And then, finally, Jihoon stepped forward. "You're outnumbered. Hands up or we'll shoot."

Everything came to an abrupt standstill. All attention turned to him.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jiyong finally snarled while Seungri looked around, unease in his expression. Seunghyun had tensed behind Jisoo and the Wielder bit back a pained groan.

Jihoon nodded towards Minghao and with a sharp _click,_ that rang through the tense silence like a gun shot, the handcuffs of the group at the door unlocked and dropped to the ground.

"What the hell. Guards!" Jiyong was visibly fed up with the groups' antics but the guards remained motionless - much to his anger. He turned towards Seunghyun for an explanation and Jisoo teared up at the building pressure. He wasn't sure whether his bones would hold out much longer. The thought made him shudder.

"It's probably an ability," Seunghyun said after a long moment of silence, his voice unsure, and Jiyong's face immediately darkened even further.

"Then fucking do something against it; that's what you're here for!"

"I can't. It's not an active one."

"Meaning?"

"The ability is not being used right now but its influencing them. Like Seungri's ability."

"You useless piece of-" The tattooed Wielder took a step forward and Jeonghan wordlessly raised his hand. At once, the guards aimed at Jiyong and he stopped, grimacing.

An uncharacteristically dark smile played on Chan's lips while he casually strolled into the middle of the kitchen. All eyes focused of him.

Jisoo's chest tightened in worry for his youngest Bonded. His mind spun while he tried to figure out what Chan was planning. Although the younger was good at martial arts, he was still a Guardian without an offensive ability. It would be dangerous for him to take on any of the experienced gang members in a fight.

Another _beep_ rang in the Wielder's ear, breaking his train of thought. Daehyun's tense voice followed. "He's going in."

It happened almost too fast to comprehend.

Seunghyun screamed in pain when Jongup materialized next to him and rammed an elbow in his face while almost simultaneously ripping Jisoo out of his tight grip. Surprised, the Wielder stumbled and fell, multiple cuts opening on his skin due to the clutter and shards on he ground, but adrenalin masked the pain and he hurriedly turned around when Chan dove past him. "I got him! Now!"

While Jongup tried to restrain the Forcebearer to the best of his ability, the young Guardian was clinging to Seunghyun's leg, holding on for his dear life even when harsh kicks to his side made him wheeze. Suddenly the Forcebearer stopped fighting back although his muscles kept tensing and he continued to spew curses.

Jisoo flinched when something warm touched his bare back but a quick glance revealed that it was only Seokmin, who had used the confusion to hurry to his aid.

The rest of the group had moved as well, apart from Minghao who was completely focused on keeping Seunghyun as tightly bound as possible. Jun and Hansol were cornering Seungri, an almost identical smirk on their faces, while Jeonghan - joined by two of the guards - carefully moved closer to Jiyong, eyes fixated on his knife. Mingyu allowed Wonwoo to help him climb back to his feet and Seungcheol vanished into the hallway together with the remaining guards and Jihoon, who was hissing into his earpiece.

Jisoo gently pushed Seokmin's hands away as soon as he could feel his ability at work. "I'm alright, take a look at the others first; they need it more. But take it slow."

"Yes, Sir." Seokmin winked and left a quick kiss on his cheek before he went to check on Shownu's group - but not without using the contact to sneakily heal the cut on Jisoo's throat.

The Wielder's lips twitched into a shaky smile before he climbed back to his feet, wincing at the pain that ran through his body. For a moment, he examined the situation in the kitchen before he opted for checking on Mingyu, since he still couldn't figure out the plan the other group was following. He had just climbed over the sad remains of a chair when Seungri started yelling, struggling to get out of the grip of Hansol's and Jun's clones while the Warriors watched him closely.

Mingyu greeted Jisoo with a concerned hug and immediately offered the Wielder his jacket. Jisoo gratefully accepted; hiding his bare and bloodied upper body made him feel at least a little bit safer. The warmth of the tall Warrior helped even more. "What are we going to do now?" he asked and worriedly glanced around.

"I'm sure the others know what they're doing. Let's just wait and see," Mingyu said, one arm still wrapped around Jisoo's waist.

Not reassured by his answer, the Wielder's fidgeting only worsened. Wonwoo raised an eyebrow when Jisoo kept stealing nervous glances at him. "What?"

"Uhm... do you think y-you could cut Seungri's and Seunghyun's bonds? If they can't use their abilities, everything w-would be much easier, right?"

A thoughtful look crossed Wonwoo's cold features while Mingyu's face immediately lit up at the idea. "I can try. But it's much harder to get rid of a mutual bond compared to a forcebo-"

"Shit, hurry up! I can't hold him much longer!" The group turned to Minghao who had paled in exhaustion, sweat dripping down his chin. At his words, Seunghyun began to fight his invisible restrains once again with full force.

"Damn it!" Mingyu ran over to Chan and Jongup to help out, his face contorted in pain from his earlier fall.

Using the distraction, Jiyong slashed at the nearest guard with his knife, who collapsed at his feet, hands clamped over a deep gash in his side.

"Jeonghan, watch out!" Jisoo screamed in panic when Jiyong hurled his knife once again, hitting the second guard straight in the stomach. He had to look away when the guard crumbled to the floor, horror washing through him.

Jeonghan tensed, face to face with the enraged Wielder, and took a wary step back at the sadistic smile that flickered over Jiyong's face. He raised his fists when the gang leader crouched down, preparing to attack.

Jisoo jumped up and started to run at the same time as Hansol and Jun, whose clones were still holding onto Seungri.

But before they even came close to the pair, Jiyong leaped forward - only to miss Jeonghan by several inches. Everyone stared at him dumbfounded when he got up and reached out again, his hands closing around air and his eyes unfocused. In an instant, his expression morphed from surprise to rage. "Mingyu, you piece of shit!"

While the tattooed Wielder was screaming profanities, closely watched by Hansol and Jun, Jisoo quietly stepped next to Jeonghan and entwined their fingers to pull him back. The Warrior seemed a bit reluctant at first but after a moment of hesitation, he followed, eyes glued to the floor.

Jisoo lead him towards Wonwoo and tried to let go of his hand once they were far enough away from Jiyong, but the Warrior held on and kept avoiding his gaze.

The tall Guardian sent them a sceptical look before he focused back on Seunghyun with furrowed brows. "You think it'll work?"

"I'm sure you can do it." Jisoo showed the brightest smile he could possibly muster and Wonwoo nodded curtly. But he had taken only one or two steps in Seunghyun's direction when he doubled over and toppled to the ground, groaning in pain. Startled, Jisoo fell to his knees next to Guardian to check on him while Jeonghan watched them, blatant distrust shining in his eyes.

"I'll kill him if you don't release me, Mingyu. Your choice." Jiyong's voice was calm and Mingyu's concentration visibly wavered.

"It's impossible to kill someone with just their bond. You're bluffing," he retorted but his voice sounded everything but certain.

"Oh yeah? Try me. I don't need traitors in my group." Everyone jumped when Wonwoo screamed in pain and began to sob, his forehead almost touching his knees. Jisoo's hands fluttered over his back but he had no idea what to do to relieve the pain.

"Fuck!" Mingyu shouted when Wonwoo screamed again. "Someone do something!"

Everyone stopped to look at the Guardian, even Seunghyun and Seungri ceased their attempts to free themselves. Jiyong began to laugh as Wonwoo's sobs got more frantic. He was wheezing for breath in between his cries while Jisoo fruitlessly tried to get him to calm down. Helplessness filled the Wielder, constricting his chest as if he was drowning in it. Next to Wonwoo's curled up, shaking body, he felt more useless than ever.

Silence reigned in the kitchen, only broken by Jiyong's laughter and Wonwoo's pained screams. 

Jisoo's fists tightened on the Guardian's back, his hands clutching the fabric of Wonwoo's shirt. Sweat was staining it while the Guardian's cries slowly ebbed away. The obnoxious laughter carried on, even louder now, and something in Jisoo finally snapped. He reached out, his fingers curling around a heavy brass candlestick. Without even realizing it, he was already on his feet, running towards the other Wielder.

The rational part of Jisoo's brain screamed that he would regret it afterwards - but he ignored it, too caught up in his feelings. In that particular moment, nothing had ever been more satisfying than the dull sound of metal meeting flesh - and the following silence.

The candlestick slipped out of his loosening fist and brought him back to reality. A shudder ran through his body at the bloody sight in front of him. "I... I... d-did I k-kill him?"

The Wielder cowered when everyone began shouting and moving at the same time. Seunghyun was cussing him out and Chan had to scream at Minghao to concentrate again when the Forcebearer managed to raise his arm. Hansol and Jun had to go back to guarding Seungri when he began to struggle even harder than before against the clones – but only after they had sent Jisoo bright grins and several thumbs up. Seokmin and Jeonghan hurried over to Jisoo's side while Mingyu went to check on Wonwoo instead, completely unaware of the worried expression on his face.

While Jeonghan wrapped the Wielder in his arms and shushed him, Seokmin examined Jiyong. "He's just unconscious. I'm pretty sure you broke his nose though, well done," he said after a short pause, his proud smile as bright as the sun.

Despite his tears, Jisoo managed a shaky smile in return. "Is Wonwoo okay? I want to g-get rid of the forcebond."

"He passed out but I think he'll be okay; he's pretty tough. And he'd probably appreciate that."

The Wielder turned at Mingyu's deep voice behind him and nodded. It took him a moment and some help from Jeonghan before was able to follow the tall Warrior on unstable legs. Sitting down next to Wonwoo's unconscious form, he grabbed his cold hands. Determination shone in his still watery eyes before he closed them.

 

Everyone looked up when Jihoon quietly slipped back into the room and took in the situation. His gaze stayed on Jisoo and Wonwoo for a moment, who looked like they had fallen asleep, but since nobody seemed concerned, he didn't question it and instead spoke to his group members, "He's ready."

They seemed to release a collective breath of relief and Jihoon quickly went over to Seungri, who had stopped struggling and was staring blankly at the wall. "Hansol, Jun, hands off. Seungcheol is using him." The two Warriors shared a sceptical look before their clones vanished into thin air. "Okay, Cheol. Let's go."

Everyone tensed when Seungri nodded and turned. Stiffly, he walked over to Seunghyun, who paled at his sight and fought even harder against his restraints. Minghao groaned, hands pressed against his temples and teeth clenched. The Forcebearer tried to pull back in vain when Seungri's hand wrapped around his arm.

Everyone waited for something to happen but Seunghyun kept struggling.

"He already used up his ability." Seungcheol's disappointment was reflected in Seungri's voice. Triumph flashed through Seunghyun's eyes at his words, a sneer pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Let me try," Jun suddenly offered and stepped next to him. "I shouldn't have a limit as long as I don't keep using the ability." Ignoring the skeptical looks of the other Forcebearers, he took a hold of Seungri's hand and furrowed his brows in disgust before he also reached out for Seunghyun.

This time it worked instantly and Seunghyun's face became frighteningly blank. At that sight, Minghao slumped to the floor in exhaustion but Chan and Jongup kept their hands on the Forcebearer, just in case.

"He's not fucking with us, is he?" Hansol sounded doubtful while eyeing the still figure in front of him. "We'd be dead if he attacks once our guard is down." 

"Nah, it definitely worked. I can feel it," Jun reassured and let go of the gang members before wiping his hands with a grimace. Everybody visibly relaxed at his words. 

"Thank god. What do we do with Seungri? Should I knock him out?" Seungcheol asked.

"Yeah. And we should definitely scram now," Jihoon replied, already turning towards the door.

"Wait." The Forcebearers jumped and turned to look at Jisoo who had lifted his head, Wonwoo still motionless next to him. Although the Wielder still looked pale and his eyes were slightly swollen after his earlier tears, his gaze was sharp. "If we leave now, they'll find us again eventually."

"So, what do you wanna do?" Hansol asked, scratching his neck.

A pensive look crossed Jisoo's features. Then his face lit up. "We should-"

Another _beep_ interrupted him and he immediately fell silent.

"Okay, boys, this is your captain speaking. Nice to have you back, team one. Anyway. We have twenty minutes until the house is swarming with cops, so get your pretty little butts moving."

Mingyu had tensed at the announcement. "Police?" he whispered fearfully.

Jun and Hansol stared at him in shock. "What?!"

"Calm down, there's still twenty minutes le-" Chan tried to finish but their in-ear devices disrupted him as well.

"Oh and Daehyun sent the rest to help you get out. You might wanna step away from the hallway, Seungcheol." The connection to Seungkwan was gone.

It only took seconds for Seungcheol to stumble into the kitchen while Seungri groaned in pain when he reclaimed control over his own body. And then the whole building began to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Breakdown of the plan Jihoon's group was following:
> 
> (remember that bonded Forcebearers can't hurt their Wielder and have to protect them which is why it would be stupid to attack Jiyong directly)
> 
> \- get inside the mansion and let Jeonghan hypnotize some guards
> 
> \- get “caught” by those guards and brought to the leader
> 
> \- get the leader to take them to Jisoo and the rest
> 
> \- Jihoon relays the situation to the group outside via earpiece
> 
> \- use the hypnotized guards to take control of the situation
> 
> \- decide who's the biggest threat and let Chan, Minghao and Jongup take care of them with their abilities
> 
> \- Seungcheol takes over the mind of the remaining Forcebearers to incapacitate them
> 
> \- get rid of the leader
> 
> \- flee with the help of Daehyun's group


	48. Tremors

"Woah, what's going on?" Chan shouted through the noise, trying to stay on his feet and hold onto Seunghyun at the same time, who didn't react to the turmoil around them.

"That's definitely Himchan, probably Yongguk as well," Jongup answered, clinging to the remains of one of the kitchen cabinets. "Keep your heads down!"

Another jolt shook the house and forced most of the people present on their knees.

"Someone stop Seungri!" Jihoon screamed over the rumbling and gesticulated towards the Warrior who was quickly shuffling towards the exit, a determined expression on his face. Hansol and Jun shared a look and grasped each others' hands before their silhouettes began to waver. Jisoo watched in fascination as their bodies started to distort until the familiar clones emerged from their backs only seconds later and immediately followed Seungri.

His attention got caught by another shout. "The ceiling is cracking! Jeonghan, move!"

Dodging a piece of rubble the size of his head, the long-haired Warrior hastily took shelter in the corner next to his brothers, who were moving Zelo and Jooheon out of danger. While the young Warrior had still not woken up, Jooheon was actively trying to help although he still looked rather dazed and needed assistance while walking.

Unable to carry him, Jisoo had thrown himself on top of Wonwoo's unconscious body to protect him from flying debris. Most of the Forcebearers followed his example and tried to shield as many people as they possibly could while Minghao kept the bigger pieces of rubble away from them.

Not only Jisoo screamed in surprise when the lights suddenly turned off and everything was shrouded in darkness. The tremors that had shaken the house stopped at once. An unsettling silence filled the room, only disrupted by the tinkling of falling concrete.

"Shit, I can't see! Stay close to the walls; I need to support the ceiling in case it gives out." Minghao already sounded beyond exhausted and the Wielder felt a painful sting in his chest at the strain in his voice. The small pebbles that had continuously hit his back ever since the tremors had begun, stopped falling but Jisoo could feel Minghao's anxiety and weariness wash over him as soon as the Warrior was too distracted to keep his bond closed off.

"Is everyone alright?" Seungcheol's tired voice rang out to his left. Affirmative murmurs followed.

Slowly, the Wielder raised his head, trying to make out shapes in the inky blackness surrounding him. He could feel Wonwoo's chest rise beneath his own. It calmed him to know that the other was still there even though he couldn't see him. Lifting his head even further, he called out, "I'm okay. I'll try to get Wonwoo closer to the wall." Based on the curses and shifting around him, he assumed that the Forcebearers were attempting the same.

The Wielder carefully reached out and felt his surroundings for a somewhat unobstructed path but sharp edges and ragged surfaces cut into his fingers almost immediately and he pulled back.

Shifting a little to check the other side, he reached out once more but froze when, without warning, a hand wrapped around his arm. Wonwoo's quiet voice close to his ear made him inhale sharply in surprise. "Why are you on top of me?"

Jisoo had never noticed just how deep and smooth the Guardian's voice was and this was definitely neither the right time nor the right place to ponder that thought.

"Oh my god, I'm s-so sorry! There was this e-earthquake and the rubble a-and..." he squeaked, before his voice faded and he hurriedly tried to get up. Only Wonwoo's tight grip stopped him from tumbling face first into the debris.

"Careful."

A shiver ran down Jisoo's spine at the feeling of hot breath against his throat. The darkness around them was making the situation strangely intimate and he couldn't help but lower his voice as well. "Y-yes, sorry. Are you o-okay? Does anything hurt?"

"I'm fi-"

"Dang it. Don't we have any working flashlights left?" Chan's annoyed voice sounded to the Wielder's left. "Or at least a phone? I dropped mine earlier."

"Whoops. I have one, somewhere. One moment." Jun's sheepish smile was almost audible. Sounds of him going through his bag followed almost immediately.

Jisoo flinched when a beam of light unexpectedly cut through the darkness to his right, a few meters away from Jun's position. In the dim glow, the Wielder became acutely aware of just how close his face was to Wonwoo's and how warm the Guardian's body was under his own. Once again, he tried to sit up and once again, Wonwoo's hand stopped him.

The beam of light wandered through the room for a moment before it fell on the Wielder and the Guardian. While the other Forcebearers pulled out their phones, the light source approached and Jisoo squinted to see who was holding the flashlight.

When Jihoon had reached them, he leaned down and roughly pulled the Wielder up by his arm, fury burning in his eyes. "Hands off, bastard," he growled.

"Jihoon!" Jisoo had blanched slightly at his tone and the glare he had pierced Wonwoo with. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Apart from being a high ranking member of one of the biggest crime syndicates in South Korea? Yeah, I'm sure he's a great person."

Grimacing in pain, Jisoo pulled his arm out of Jihoon's tight grip before he moved in front of the Guardian, who was still sitting on the dirty floor. "We would be dead without him."

The Warrior only shook his head at him, an exasperated expression on his face, before he turned his flashlight towards the ceiling. "We have bigger problems right now. But I'm keeping an eye on you." Wonwoo returned Jihoon's scowl with an impassive look.

"Oh god." Jisoo almost fell for the second time when he tried to take a hasty step back after seeing the amount of rubble Minghao was keeping from falling on them. This time around, Jihoon's hold was much more gentle and without a word, he let his fingers run over the area he had gripped too harshly earlier.

They looked up when Jeonghan joined them, his eyes also fixed on the ceiling. "Come on, everyone's already near the walls and Minghao looks like he'll pass out any minute. Also two of the other guys woke up; I didn't catch their names."

Jisoo extended a helping hand towards Wonwoo, who took it after a moment of hesitation. It earned him another glare from Jihoon which he promptly ignored. Jeonghan also helped supporting the tall Guardian while Jihoon grudgingly lighted the way. Navigating through the debris, they were greeted by Hyungwon's and Jooheon's pale faces, the latter looking a lot healthier now that Seokmin had taken care of him.

"Okay, everyone's safe. Minghao, you can stop," the Healer announced while he walked over to take a look at Hyungwon's dislocated shoulder.

"Thank fucking god," the Warrior pressed through clenched teeth before he let the rubble drop. With a relieved groan, he slumped to the ground next to Zelo, but immediately jumped up with surprised squeak when a visibly embarrassed Minzy materialized where he had tried to sit.

"I need to reset your arm before I can properly heal you," Seokmin said to Hyungwon and Jisoo could see the growing fear in the former guard's eyes. It took Jooheon's support by holding his healthy hand for him to agree with a hesitant nod.

"Are the others okay?" the Technopath asked while Hyungwon turned even paler when Seokmin examined his shoulder.

"Well most of your team members are still knocked out but I treated the worst injuries, so they should wake up soon."

Jisoo had to give Hyungwon credit for not screaming when his shoulder popped back into place.

"Now what?" Hansol asked a short while later, watching Seungri struggle against the clones in the beams of their flashlights. The rain clouds outside had fully dispersed, allowing pale moonlight to fall through the windows.

"Let's wait. Seungkwan said they'd pick us up, right?" Jeonghan replied and sat down cross-legged. His head came to rest against Seungcheol's shoulder, who seemed too tired to shake him off.

As if on cue, everyone tensed when hurried footsteps became audible in the hallway. All available light sources turned towards the door which got flung open only a few seconds later. Seungkwan tumbled into the room, trying to shield his eyes from the lights directed at him. "What the hell are you waiting for?! Let's go!" The Clairvoyant was sweating, armed with a long stick and clearly out of his comfort zone.

"Wow, what are _you_ doing here?" Minghao croaked, his body shaking from overexertion. Despite his condition, he still managed to sound cynical.

Seungkwan glared at him. "Stop asking stupid questions and hurry. Youngjae is guarding the door but I'm useless when it comes to fighting."

"What about Shownu and his group?" Jisoo dared to ask while everyone got up.

Seungkwan's angry gaze softened once it fell on him but his words were cold. "What about them?"

"They helped us so much; we can't leave them here! We should get rid of the forcebonds while Jiyong is still knocked out."

"Jisoo, we have exactly seventeen minutes left; there's no time to cancel contracts," the Clairvoyant huffed, dismay lacing his voice.

"Wonwoo can help me. Right, Wonwoo?"

The Guardian looked up at the question and was met with Jisoo's bright, expectant eyes. One of the corners of his mouth twitched before he answered, "You got rid of my contract. I can't help you."

The Wielder's face fell at once and his Bonded felt disappointment wash through them. Seungkwan twiddled with his thumbs while everyone else avoided looking at Jisoo's sad expression.

It was Minghao who spoke up in the end. "Oh my god, just get it over with and bond with him if you really want to free those guys that badly," he grunted, still trying to get his weak knees to carry his weight.

Jisoo's hopeful gaze once again turned to Wonwoo whose lips finally pulled into a small smile. It grew wider once he noticed Jihoon's balled fists. "I wouldn't mind."

"You guys are killing me! _Fine_ , but the rest better get ready to leave. Everyone pair up with one of the half-dead ones or something. And Jisoo, hurry. I'll drag you out by your hair if I have to; I'm not getting in trouble with the police after escaping from a freaking gang." Seungkwan sulkily turned around after seeing the Wielder's bright smile.

"This is only temporary, dickweed. Don't get any funny ideas," Jihoon hissed as soon as everyone was busily moving about. Wonwoo only shrugged in response.

 

"Why's the police involved in the first place?" Jun asked while he watched Jisoo and Wonwoo press their hands together.

Seungkwan didn't look up from his watch. "Apparently Kangin's father got fed up with his brother taking his sweet time to pay the ransom for Chaerin. And when Minzy vanished too, he used his connections to find out what he needed to know."

"But isn't it a good thing they're coming? When they find the basement, they'll finally have enough evidence to arrest Jiyong once and for all," Seokmin reasoned, his eyes also drawn to his Wielder.

"Of course it's good, but-"

"No, because if they catch us, we're done," Hansol cut Seungkwan off with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face. "Do you really think they'll just let us leave? They'll check our backgrounds and then it's over. Jun and I are not from here; we don't have passports or anything and we're part of a fu-," he stopped himself and glanced at Jisoo, "freaking gang."

"But you're innocent! They forced you into it!" Chan blurted.

He jumped when Wonwoo spoke behind him. "Prove it."

"And we're everything but innocent, Chan. Most of us have killed people even if it wasn't our choice," Mingyu added, his face solemn.

"Another reason to get out as fast as possible. Are you going to start? There's thirteen minutes left; I'll give you eight until we leave." Seungkwan brought the conversation to an abrupt halt and Jisoo hastily stepped closer, wiping the blood from his hand onto his already dirty jeans.

"Okay, I have a plan." Everyone waited for him to continue and he blushed at the sudden attention. "Okay, s-so. Wonwoo and I are going to get rid of the b-bonds. Wonwoo will work on Seunghyun and Seungri to make it safer for us while I'll try and work o-on Jiyong. Using the Wielder should be faster than cancelling each contract one by one. Jeonghan, can you get them to forget our faces? Or maybe the whole evening?"

"Oooh that's a great idea, hyung!" Chan exclaimed, his face already flushed with excitement.

"Yes! I'll mess up the cameras a bit more, just in case!" Jooheon sounded just as enthusiastic and Hyungwon hid a smile behind his hand.

Hesitating slightly, Jeonghan nodded. "Seungri and Seunghyun are a piece of cake, but I don't think I can hypnotise Jiyong while he's out."

"What about you?" Jihoon had turned to Seungcheol before anyone could come up with another idea.

"I'm pretty tired but I can give it a shot. I've never tried messing with memories before though," the Warrior admitted.

"I'll help you out if you're too tired," Jun offered and Seungcheol sent him a grateful smile.

"Uhm... maybe instead of erasing their memories... how about you pretend another group has attacked? It's less suspicious," Minzy proposed, an anxious look on her face. "I'll stay behind together with Chaerin as witness; the police is searching for us anyway. If I say I couldn't see their faces, everything should be okay, right? And I can show them the basement and the cells."

Seokmin was the only one not too fond of her plan. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"I can get Seungri to keep her safe until the police comes. He just needs to look kinda threatening and it'll seem all the more real," Jeonghan said, excitement twinkling in his eyes.

Without looking up from his watch, Seungkwan nodded. "Alright, good plan. You have six minutes."

 

Jisoo closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. The already familiar feeling of weightlessness began to fill him. When he peeked through his lashes, he was greeted by brightness and the sight of Jiyong's bonds. The sheer amount left him speechless.

He had known that Jiyong had quite a few Forcebearers but he would have never thought that it was possible to have _that many._

Only two of the contracts were thick, mutual bonds though - Jisoo suspected Seungri and Seunghyun and suddenly felt glad that Wonwoo was taking care of them - the rest looked unstable and frayed.

Slowly he drifted closer and reached out to the nearest one: a pale red string of light. Unlike the other forcebonds he had encountered so far, this contract barely reacted when he touched it. It only vibrated weakly beneath his fingertips.

He pulled back and followed the bond to its origin but unlike with Forcebearers, this time there were no knots to loosen. The bonds were completely fused to Jiyong.  
Jisoo pondered for a moment before he wrapped his hands around the forcebond once again. This time it stung slightly - but it only took one fierce yank to rip the fragile contract apart. It dissolved with a bright flash.

Jisoo rubbed his tingling hands and eyed the hundreds of bonds still waiting for him. He suppressed a sigh before he got to work.

 

-

 

Everything hurt. My arms, my legs, my head. Even breathing was painful. Still - seeing what so many other Forcebearers had gone through made my pain seem insignificant.

Although I had to admit: The price I had to pay to use my ability was quite high in comparison. I wasn't proud to say that in the past I had made sure not to get close to anyone for exactly this reason. If I had no friends, I had less desire to help. Even though I was nice to everyone - I just wasn't the type to be unfriendly - I was nice in a distant and polite kind of way. The way that said, "Please leave me alone".

And Kangin had done the rest. Not for the same reason, obviously - he never cared whether I got hurt or not - but solely out of fear of my rank getting known. It had been this way from the day I had gotten my ability to the day Jisoo had joined the group project. Funnily enough, I had known that I was doomed as soon as I had seen the hopeful smile on his face when he had walked up to us and how it had crumbled once he had admitted that he was a Wielder. How could I possibly leave him alone afterwards?

Jisoo, so gentle and different.

I glanced in his direction. He was still deep in his ... trance? I needed to ask him about it once he woke up and we were safe; I was curious what it felt like to sever bonds. Fortunately, he didn't look like he was in pain. There was nothing I could do to help him right now.

I eyed his hand on Jiyong's tattooed arm and for a moment I contemplated the glaring differences between the two Wielders.

My thoughts got disrupted by Jun carefully sitting down next to Jisoo.

"Don't disturb him," I said, my voice almost a whisper.

 _Don't touch him_ , I wanted to say.

Jun nodded and smiled at me. It took a certain amount of willpower to return it.

Yes, I had made peace with the fact that I would have to share my Wielder because I definitely wasn't going to leave him. And yes, I also had made peace with the fact that 'sharing' contained more than just bonds and friendship - but it still had stung to see Jisoo kiss someone else in front of me, even if I had prepared myself for that moment.

But I had decided to be happy for him and the regret that had poured through our bond had only strengthened my resolve. I wanted him to stay as happy as he had been when he had seen Jun again. Preferably forever.

And I liked Jun. He was a good person even though he sometimes was loud and a bit foul-mouthed. Not as much as his brother, but it probably had its own charm. I liked the other guys as well, regardless of how annoying they could get - I wasn't too sure about the latest addition though.

Out of the corner of my eye, I examined Wonwoo who was crouching next to Seunghyun.

Oh well. It had been Jisoo's decision to bond with him and it was already kind enough of him that he had sort of asked for our permission first. Who were we to stop him from forming contracts?

I leaned back against the wall with a quiet sigh and ran a hand over my face. The pain from healing Wonho's broken jaw had not yet subsided. Neither had the pain from I.M's and Kihyun's head wounds. Movement next to me pulled me out of my daze. I was greeted by Chan's bright eyes and couldn't help but smile when he grimaced while sitting down silently. Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, I absorbed as many of his bruises as I could with my dwindling energy. As the youngest member in our group, everyone had a soft spot for Chan - I was no exception.

But all the positive feelings I had for my new found friends still couldn't stop a certain sense of... discontent. Jealousy was an emotion I had to get used to first. I shortly wondered what the others would think if they could read my thoughts right now. Fortunately I had always been good at hiding negative feelings and as long as Jisoo kept smiling, I was satisfied.

Last time I had seen him, Kangin had said that Jisoo had us all wrapped around his fingers and I couldn't disagree. Even the ones who had left had come running today, risking their lives for their former Wielder.

I looked over to the three brothers who had turned up so unexpectedly. Jeonghan was staring into Seungri's eyes, working his magic, and Jihoon was supporting Seungcheol's swaying body while he attempted to get into Jiyong's unconscious brain.

"Oh god, that feels so weird." Hyungwon's voice caused me to turn. He repeatedly rubbed his chest and grimaced.

"Does it feel bad?" Chan asked curiously, still snuggled into my side.

"No, just... weird. Like something is moving in my chest. Oh, I think it's-"

"Quiet." I flinched at Wonwoo's cold tone, even though it wasn't directed at me. He hadn't opened his eyes, fingers still wrapped around Seunghyun's wrist and expression impassive, and Hyungwon fell silent at once, fear on his face.

I glanced at the others who also shared looks while the Guardian kept unravelling Seunghyun's bond. I could see that Mingyu had trouble stopping a grin from spreading on his lips. Somehow the sight made me feel oddly at ease.

 

-

 

If Jisoo's hands were real and tangible, they would be bleeding by now but in his current state, he only felt pain. Every contract he destroyed made it a little bit worse. Some were harder to break than others and Jisoo had to bite back a curse while he fought against a particularly stubborn one.

A bright glow above caused him to stop and he looked up just in time to see one of the two mutual bonds dissolve.

Wondering how much time might have passed, he turned back towards the remaining contracts. They had gotten noticeably fewer since he had started but there still were quite some more that needed his attention. Frustrated, he ripped and tugged at the resisting contract until - finally - it fell apart.

 

-

 

Seungkwan looked panicked by now, eyes glued to the watch on his wrist, and I could feel his restlessness spreading to the rest of the group. Even I had a hard time sitting still although my arm was still wrapped around Chan's shoulders. Fear was glistening in the young Guardian's eyes.

"We need to wake Jisoo up, there's no time!" the Clairvoyant finally exclaimed, after another long minute had passed, "If we don't leave now, we'll get caught and I don't know what will happen then! Jun, come on!"

The Warrior visibly hesitated and the glare Seungkwan sent him was acidic enough to melt stone.

I understood why Seungkwan was rushing but I was more concerned about Jisoo's safety. Even though I was a Healer, I could do nothing against bonds and their effects on someone's body - the thought made me anxious. "Will he be okay if we just rip him out of the process?"

"Oh please, he'll be fine but we won't be if we keep dawdling." The Guardian waved his hands and I raised a sceptical eyebrow at him. If I could change one thing about him, it would be his attitude. How could he not worry about his Wielder?

Jun's fingertips had just made contact with Jisoo's arm when Seungkwan suddenly fell silent. The blank expression on his face eerily reminded me of Seungri's ability.

"What's wrong with him?" Jooheon asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"He's having a vision. I'm not sure if that's good or bad right now," Chan explained, nervously nibbling on his lower lip. I tousled his soft hair to calm him and it helped a little to settle my anxious heart as well.

A minute of silence passed in which our eyes remained fixed on the Clairvoyant until he took a long, shuddering breath. "Oh god, alright." The relieved smile that played on his lips came unexpected. Everyone stared, waiting for an explanation. "We have some more time now. Someone intercepted the police."

Hansol scratched his head. "Someone? A guard?" he asked while he shared a glance with Jun who looked just as clueless as the rest of us.

"No idea but who cares? They were working their way through some sort of forcefield in my vision, so I'd say we have about fifteen more minutes. That should be enough to get out since Jisoo is going to be finished in about three. You guys are done, right?"

Jeonghan and Wonwoo nodded while Seungcheol was only able to muster a tired smile. For a few seconds, I contemplated whether to go over to take a look at them but then I discarded the idea. I'd rather save my energy for emergencies - or Jisoo.

"It went well. They won't be able to remember us or any related faces. Only an attack by an unknown group," Jeonghan said and Seungkwan looked satisfied.

I could feel a weight lifting off my shoulders at his words. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but the thought of getting hunted down by the gang even after finally escaping them had scared me quite a bit.

Now we only had to wait for our Wielder to return.

 

-

 

When Jisoo found his way back into his body, he felt as if an elephant had sat on him. Although he was used to feeling heavier after his venture into weightlessness, the exertion throughout the night had definitely taken its toll on his body. He forced himself not to groan when he tried to open his eyes.

The first thing he could make out in the dim light of their flashlights were Seokmin's and Jun's worried faces.

"How are you feeling?" The tingles of Seokmin's ability lifted the heaviness slightly but Jisoo still sent him a half-hearted frown for using it. Even without checking their bond, he could see the weariness in the Healer's face. The only response he got was a sunny grin.

"I'm okay, just a bit tired. I got rid of every single contract," he mumbled and promptly flushed when the Forcebearers cheered. "Are you done already? How much time do we have left?"

"They're done and we have about ten minutes. Enough chitchat; let's get going," Seungkwan said and unceremoniously took his hands to pull him up. The Wielder stumbled, not much strength left in his body, but Hansol supported him until he had found his balance.

"Okay! Everyone take one person, I'll take the lead and the responsibility. Follow me!" Seungkwan clapped his hands and ignored the disbelieving looks the others were shooting him.

While everyone scrambled to pair up, Jisoo wandered over to Minzy and Chaerin, pointedly keeping his distance to Seungri, who was standing motionlessly in front of them. "Will you be okay?" he asked but Minzy soothed his worry with a smile while she patted Chaerin's leg.

"I'm just going to pretend that I have no idea what's going on. We're the victims here anyway so I doubt they'll bother us much," she said, her usually timid voice surprisingly stable.

Jisoo nodded slowly. Although he was relieved that she seemed confident, he still couldn't help but feel concern for the shy Guardian. He blamed his Wielder instincts for it. "Okay. Well, maybe you c-could send Seokmin a message once it's over? You know, just s-so he won't worry." His reddening cheeks were almost invisible in the dim glow of the moon.

"Sure." Minzy tried to hide her laughter and waved him goodbye while Jisoo hurried towards the exit, his ears burning.

Minghao was waiting for him with a tired smile. The rest had already filed out the door, eager to leave as quickly as possible.

"I'm so glad it's over. I think I'll sleep for the next three days," the Warrior said and slung his arm around Jisoo's shoulders, putting much less weight on him than he was supposed to.

The Wielder smiled as well and wrapped his arm around his Bonded's waist, who used the chance to pull him even closer into his side. "Me too. Let's get out of here."

Looking back one last time, Jisoo took in Jiyong's motionless body on the cluttered floor next to Seunghyun, as well as Minzy's figure in the corner next to unconscious Chaerin while Seungri towered over them. The destruction inside the room was illuminated by silvery moonlight.

He turned around when Minghao gently squeezed his arm. They stepped through the door together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is slooowly coming to an end.  
> I never expected to get so much support here, I'm really happy!


	49. Emotions

"Last week, young business tycoon Kwon Jiyong stood for a preliminary examination after his arrest for the abduction of Lee Chaerin and the subsequent discovery of his leadership position in one of South Korea's biggest organized crime groups, resulting in charges of Kidnapping and Gang Participation. Additional allegations of Homicide, Human Trafficking and Weapon Distribution have surfaced but require further deliberation by the court before his final trial next week. This could mark the end of-"

The screen turned black. Hansol dropped the remote next to him on the sofa, much to Seungkwan's annoyance. "Hey, I was watching that!"

"You've watched every god damn news report at least twice. I don't wanna see that asshat's face anymore."

Jun stretched with a tired groan when his brother and the Guardian began their usual bickering and pulled Jisoo closer, who was sound asleep next to him. The Wielder's oversized sweater had slipped slightly and his exposed collarbone had distracted Jun for quite a while now.

Sneakily, he ducked down and placed a quick kiss on it. And a second one, for good measure.

A sudden hit over the head with a rolled-up newspaper made the Warrior flinch and turn around - only to find Jihoon scowling at him over the backrest of the sofa. They glowered at each other for a moment before Jun looked away in defeat. Without a word, the small Warrior walked towards the kitchen to get his third cup of coffee.

The motions had woken Jisoo who yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Time to leave already?" he mumbled, still dazed from his nap.

"Well, sure if you want to but it's Saturday so you'd probably be the only one in class." The Wielder looked up at the sound of Minghao's amused voice and smiled when the redhead entered the living room to tousle his hair.

"No work today?"

"Only in the evening. Wanna go on a date?" Minghao's grin turned cheeky while he watched a soft blush spread on Jisoo's cheeks.

"Uhm... I-"

"He can't; he's going to watch movies with me today. He promised," Jun interrupted, arms still tightly wrapped around Jisoo's waist.

Minghao eyed the Wielder who nodded in silent affirmation until Hansol jumped in.

"You're so full of shit, Jun." At Jisoo's raised brows, he shrugged with a sheepish smile before he focused back on his brother. "He agreed to a movie night, that includes all of us. And by the way, I want to watch the new Jason Statham movie."

"No way, I saw the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3 yesterday; we gotta watch that! It looks awesome!" The thought alone had Jun excited and he leaned towards his brother to be even more convincing. Minghao used the opportunity to squeeze himself in between Jisoo and the Warrior.

"But horror movies suck," Hansol complained, loud enough to be heard by Seungkwan.

"I thought we agreed on comedy?! I'm not gonna watch your testosterone-filled garbage," the Guardian shouted from the other side of the room where he had been going through Jeonghan's magazines. Jisoo rubbed his temples when his three Bonded started arguing.

"Are you sure you don't wanna go on a date? It's probably less stressful than your movie night. I can even get you free drinks at the bar." Minghao winked, the cheeky smile still playing on his lips, and Jisoo buried his face in the redhead's shoulder.

"But I promised," he groaned and the Warrior couldn't help but laugh at his miserable tone, a soft look in his eyes while he ran his fingers through his Wielder's hair.

 

"How are you holding up?" Seokmin's voice sounded tinny through the speakers of Jisoo's cheap smartphone. "I feel like I'm missing out."

The dissatisfaction that flowed through their bond made Jisoo smile. "I'm doing fine. You can always visit, you know? Minghao is here already."

"Yeah, I need to talk to him about not taking me with him." Seokmin sounded even more disgruntled.

"I really appreciate that you moved in with him, Minnie," Jisoo said after he had succesfully forced himself not to laugh at the Healer's misery.

"Well, he's constantly bickering with Mingyu and Seungkwan so those two were out from the start. And nobody but Mingyu was willing to share a room with Wonwoo."

"I was, but Chan almost locked me up when I offered it. He really wants to stay in my flat with me."

"Yeah, well. I kinda see why." Disapproval and amusement mixed in Seokmin's voice. "I wouldn't want that either if I was him. But anyway, are you outside or something? It's so quiet."

"I'm hiding in Jihoon's room," Jisoo admitted and Seokmin's laughter rang through the line.

"Good choice. Does he know?"

"No, but I'm sure he's going to be fed up with the guys soon, so I should probably find another spot."

"I don't think he minds." Seokmin managed to mask the bitterness in his voice almost perfectly. "But you could come over - it's really quiet here with Minghao gone," he added, his tone hopeful. "We could read or play one of his games."

"Mh, that sounds good but I promised to watch a movie with them... Can't you come over, too? It's more fun when everyone's here. And Seungcheol promised popcorn."

"That's pretty tempting. When should I be there?"

Jisoo smiled brightly and turned onto his stomach, playing with Jihoon's pillow. "We'll start around five, come whenever you're free. But you might need to help with cooking if you arrive before lunch."

"Guess I'll come around three then; I don't want to clean up the mess of twelve people."

"Laaaazy," Jisoo sang and Seokmin laughed again.

"I am. By the way, Kangin called earlier."

The Wielder immediately sobered. "Why?"

"Nothing bad, just another family gathering on Wednesday. Greetings from Minzy by the way. She's staying over at his place since Chaerin is not allowed out of her room. They also cancelled her contract."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, Kangin is happy. He wants to form a new contract with her but Minzy is a bit reluctant." The Healer sighed. "Even though Chaerin treated her like dirt once she became her Wielder, they're still cousins and childhood friends. But they'll figure something out, I guess."

"Yeah, I guess..."

Of course Seokmin knew what was bothering him. "Don't worry, Kangin has a really soft spot for his sister. He would never hurt her."

The Wielder relaxed slightly at the reassurance and once again distractedly fiddled with the pillowcase. "I hope so. She's been through a lot."

"Trust me on this. By the way, have you seen the news today?"

"I wanted to but I fell asleep." A warm chuckle trickled through the line and Jisoo blushed.

"More and more people are accusing Jiyong even though it's already been over two weeks since he's gotten arrested. It's crazy. We really did something amazing there."

The Wielder rubbed his forehead and suppressed a weary sigh. "Yeah, it really is crazy..."

 

After Jisoo had hung up the phone, he was too lazy to actually get up and brave the turmoil outside the safety of Jihoon's room. Face buried in the pillow, he inhaled the familiar scent and let his thoughts drift aimlessly.

He missed Jihoon. Although he saw him almost every day and by now visited their flat regularly again, he didn't sleep over anymore since his former room now belonged to Seungkwan. And without his nightly visits, it was almost impossible to speak to the Warrior alone. No more late night talks with Jihoon. He sighed into the pillow.

And it wasn't the only thing that had changed during the last two weeks. While he enjoyed spending time at home with Chan or in Jeonghan's flat with the rest of his Bonded, not having his own room meant that he barely had any alone time since the Forcebearers stuck to him like glue. He loved them dearly but he also was a person who enjoyed having time for himself. Maybe he should have taken Seokmin's offer after all. The Healer was one of the more quiet members of the group and it was comfortable to-

"So this is where you've been hiding."

The Wielder jumped at Jihoon's voice behind him and quickly turned around. The small Warrior stood in front of the bed, arms crossed and a dangerous glimmer in his eyes.

Jisoo immediately flushed beet-red. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to intrude! It was so loud outside and Seokmin called-"

"Let's set a rule," Jihoon cut him off, his voice sharp while he took a step closer, and the Wielder stopped talking at once, dreading the words that would follow. "No talking about other men as long as you're in my bed. Or women, for that matter."

Unable to comprehend, Jisoo stared at him. "Wha- why?"

The Warrior only rolled his eyes before he straddled Jisoo's lap in one quick movement. "God, you're dense."

Unlike his tone, his lips were gentle when they met Jisoo's and it took a moment for the Wielder to come to his senses and close his eyes. He could feel Jihoon's hands wander over his shoulders, caressing his back, and he wrapped his arms around the smaller male, burying his fingers in his soft hair. Goosebumps rose on his skin when Jihoon softly sucked on his lower lip. Their tongues met halfway and the onslaught of sensations made Jisoo shiver.

The Wielder got ripped out of his bliss when Jihoon suddenly pulled back. Worried, he opened his eyes but the sight of the pink tinge on the Warrior's cheeks and his dilated pupils immediately put his mind at ease.

"Take that off," Jihoon growled, his voice hoarse, and the sound of it made hot excitement bubble in Jisoo's stomach. Without hesitation, he followed the order and the Warrior helped him pull the thick sweater over his head before he pushed him down, still comfortably seated on his crotch.

Jihoon's hungry eyes wandered over his bare upper body and Jisoo couldn't suppress a the blush that spread over his face, feeling oddly exposed. As if he was reading his thoughts, the Warrior caught his hands as soon as he tried to hide behind them. "Don't. You're beautiful, you know?"

He leaned down and once again kissed him, their teeth clinking together due to their wide smiles. Jisoo felt like he was melting. Jihoon's lips wandered from his mouth to his throat, leaving small pecks on his skin. Once he had reached the Wielder's collarbone, he ran his tongue over it and Jisoo moaned quietly at the thrill that shot through his body. The Warrior took his sweet time kissing and nibbling on the sensitive spot until Jisoo's grip tightened when he sucked a dark red mark into the pale skin. Satisfied with his work, Jihoon sat up and took in the Wielder's dazed expression.

"I love you, even though you're a bit of a dimwit sometimes."

 

When Jisoo slipped out of Jihoon's room, futilely trying to smooth down his dishevelled hair, he almost ran face first into Jeonghan who had just reached out to knock. The Wielder smiled nervously under his probing stare.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes! Y-yes, of course! I'm g-great, how are you?"

One eyebrow of the long-haired Warrior rose and Jisoo flushed pink when dark eyes wandered towards the Wielder's crooked collar. Slowly, Jeonghan reached out and adjusted the sweater, smoothing out the wrinkles with the tips of his fingers. "I'm just here to ask Ji something."

"Oh y-yeah, I'll be leaving then," Jisoo said quickly and dashed down the hallway towards the nearest bathroom.

Jeonghan frowned and knocked at the door. Without waiting for a response, he walked into the room.

At his disturbance, Jihoon looked up from the book he had been reading. "What?"

"You really need to get your possessiveness under control. They will throw a fit if they see those god damn hickeys."

 

Jisoo had just begun to chop vegetables for lunch when the doorbell rang. Wiping his hands on his apron, he set the knife aside but loud footsteps and laughter informed him that someone else had opened already, so he focused back on cooking. He hummed a quiet tune while taking care of celery, carrots and potatoes, and when the water in the massive pot on the stove finally began to boil, he turned around with a little twirl.

Only Wonwoo's excellent reflexes prevented the Guardian from getting stabbed in the stomach. The kitchen knife landed on the floor with a metallic clatter.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?! Don't sneak up on me while I'm cooking, it's dangerous!" Jisoo's shaking hands were still pressed over his racing heart when Wonwoo picked up the knife.

"I just came to ask if you need help." A small smirk was tugging on his lips. "I didn't think you'd try to assassinate me."

The Wielder laughed weakly and shook his head to get rid of the adrenaline that was cursing through his body. "Uh... yeah, maybe you cou-"

The kitchen door burst open and slammed into the wall with a deafening _crash_.

"Jisoo!"

"You bastard, what did you do?!"

"Drop the knife!"

Nine Forcebearers were futilely trying to force their way into the kitchen all at once, cursing and blocking each other's way. The knife got ripped out of Wonwoo's hand and lodged into one of the wooden cupboards while the Guardian got pressed against the counter by an invisible force.

Mingyu was the first to reach Jisoo, his taller build helping him push through the throng of Forcebearers. He immediately pulled the Wielder back, scattering ingredients all over the floor, while the rest stalked closer to the Guardian.

"Guys! GUYS!" Jisoo tried to move past the tall Warrior but Mingyu stepped into his way. The Wielder's eyes widened when Hansol armed himself with a meat cleaver and Jihoon reached for Wonwoo's bare wrist.

"No! Stop it!" Anger hit his Bonded like a fist and everyone froze. He wrenched his hand out of Mingyu's hold and pushed past Jeonghan and Seungcheol, making them stumble. "What the heck are you thinking?! You could've seriously hurt him! Release him now, Minghao."

"But- but the knife-," Chan stuttered, quite intimidated by his Wielder's sudden temper.

"Why were you scared?" Seokmin asked quietly from his spot near the door and his unexpected presence distracted Jisoo for a moment - until he remembered the door bell earlier.

Releasing an audible sigh, the Wielder massaged his temples but his voice was already calmer when he answered. "I wasn't scared, I was startled. I didn't hear him coming and I almost cut him with the knife. And when I dropped it, he picked it up for me; that's why he was holding it." Guilty faces and pieces of vegetables surrounded him when he looked around the kitchen.

"I told you nothing's wrong. Why is nobody listening to me?!" Seungkwan sauntered into the room, an annoyed expression on his face. "Lunch is ruined!"

The Wielder couldn't bite back a smile at his dramatic outburst and the crestfallen faces of his Bonded. "Nothing's ruined. The veggies are raw; we can wash them again. And thanks for coming to my rescue even though there was nothing to rescue me from. You should still apologize to Wonwoo though." His voice had gotten noticeably stricter towards the end.

He watched on as the Forcebearers mumbled their apologies - Jihoon needed several attempts - and then ordered everyone but Wonwoo to help with the clean up.

 

When they were busy fulfilling their tasks to the best of their abilities, Jisoo left the kitchen in search for the Guardian. It bothered him that Wonwoo was the only Bonded he wasn't able to feel through their contract, although it didn't come as a surprise given Wonwoo's general reclusiveness and the fact that they only had known each other for about two weeks. But while not being able to feel him was an inconvenience at most for the Wielder, the other Bonded took it as another reason to be wary of the tall Guardian. It saddened Jisoo. As Seokmin had said earlier, the only one who had willingly shared a room with Wonwoo was Mingyu, and Jisoo had the strong suspicion that it was mainly to keep an eye on him.

The door to their room was closed and the Wielder gathered some much needed courage before he knocked. Wonwoo didn't scare him but his silence often made him nervous.

The door opened and Jisoo took an uneasy step back when the Guardian met his eyes. "What do you want?" His voice was as cold as ever.

"Uhm... C-can I come in?"

Wonwoo moved aside wordlessly. While Mingyu had already started decorating his part of the room with all sorts of small trinkets, the Guardian's half remained completely devoid of personal belongings or any sort of colour. Even his bedsheets were grey.

Wonwoo nodded towards the bed but remained standing while Jisoo took a seat. Plucking up courage, the Wielder once again asked, "Are y-you okay?"

"Yeah."

"You're not mad?"

"No."

The Wielder frowned at his one-syllable answers. "Does it bother you that the others d-distrust you?"

This time, the Guardian took longer to answer. "A bit," he finally admitted. Jisoo had just opened his mouth to inquire more when he kept talking. "But you trust me. I can see it."

"See it how?," the Wielder asked, confused by the statement, and Wonwoo smiled. Not his usual small smirk but an actual smile that reached his sharp eyes. Jisoo stared for a long moment before he looked down with burning cheeks.

"Apart from the obvious - your trusting nature for example - I can see it in the bond. Even though it's still developing, it's already bright and strong." Jisoo smiled as well; the thought that their bond was growing well was comforting after he had worried so much about their missing connection. "And I'm not mad at the others. They adore you and I understand why they don't like me in the fist place. But maybe one day they'll accept me," Wonwoo added after a moment of silence.

 

Lunch had been quiet in the beginning but it hadn't taken long for the usual bickering to ensue. The soup tasted just as good as always even though half of its contents had ended up on the floor but the group effort to salvage it had definitely paid off. Jisoo had deliberately taken a seat next to Wonwoo while Chan had used his status as the youngest to ensure his place next to the Wielder. Jihoon was nagging Seungcheol about a - in his opinion - much needed haircut, while Seungkwan, Jun and Hansol continued their movie discussion from the morning, this time with additional comments from Minghao and Mingyu.

Everything was as loud and chaotic as usual when Jeonghan set his spoon down with more force than necessary, the sound cracking like the lash of a whip. "Okay, you know what? I'm tired of this."

All eyes turned to him, most of them startled by his sudden outburst, and silence filled the room.

"What's the matter, Han?" Seungcheol asked and placed his glass back onto the table.

Jeonghan made a sweeping gesture with his hand, covering all of the people currently sitting around the table. "This. This is exactly what's wrong."

"Yeah, if you could just stop speaking in riddles..." Minghao drawled, chewing on a piece of meat.

The long-haired Warrior glared at him before he explained himself. "We never actually talked everything out. We're all just acting as if the last six weeks or something never happened. But if we ignore the problem, it won't go away."

"Wow, that's pretty rich coming from you," Hansol jumped in and pointed his spoon at him. "Weren't you guys the ones who marched into Jisoo's flat and demanded new contracts immediately after all that shit had gone down? Good thing he's not me 'cause I would've kicked you right back to the curb, middle fingers up."

Jeonghan's cheeks flushed at once while Jihoon and Seungcheol looked rather uneasy.

"We were worried that something else would happen...," Seungcheol tried to explain, "and then it just ended up the way it is now. But I think it's nice..." Awkwardly, he glanced at Jeonghan.

"Okay, I admit we could've handled that a bit better. All of it. And it was mainly my fault anyway, I just- I don't know. It's hard," the Warrior finally relented, after a short glimpse at Jisoo's expectant eyes. "I'm not that good at dealing with emotions."

" _'Not that good'_ , what an understatement," Minghao snorted and Jeonghan looked down in shame while his brothers scowled at the redhead.

"Well, I think it's normal to not make the best decisions when you're feeling overwhelmed; it happens to everyone. And I'm glad to have you all back because I've missed you a whole lot." Jisoo's voice was warm, not even a hint of criticism in it, and the Forcebearers felt his genuine love wrapping around them like a soft blanket. Jeonghan had teared up at his words and wiped his eyes with Seungcheol's napkin.

"So what's gonna happen now?" Jun finally asked. "Are we just going to ignore the reason why we split up in the first place? Jeonghan's right; I don't think that'll work in the long-run, so I'd rather talk about it now."

The comfortable silence turned awkward at his words while Mingyu and Wonwoo looked around curiously.

"What exactly happened?" the Warrior asked Seokmin next to him in a whisper.

"Well." Hansol didn't bother to lower his voice. "Jun and I left because we decided that it was too dangerous to stay thanks to the Organisation. _Those guys_ ," he nodded towards the three brothers, "left because they are wimps."

"Excuse me?!" Jeonghan immediately exploded. "As if you didn't leave for the same bloody reason! You also didn't want to be in love with your Wielder and share him with others!"

"I don't- we never-," Hansol sputtered, his face red, and Jisoo flushed as well when Mingyu and Wonwoo glanced in his direction.

"Uh, I guess now I know the reason," Mingyu said and laughed awkwardly. "Uhm yeah. Is there even a way to solve that without leaving?"

"Nope, there isn't. And nobody will leave, you all gotta learn to live with it," Seungkwan said bluntly, focused on picking celery out of his soup. He looked up. "But I'm curious: Who of you lot currently has feelings for Jisoo?"

The Wielder immediately shrunk in his chair, his face the colour of a ripe tomato, when Jeonghan unapologetically raised his hand, Seokmin and Jun following only seconds after. He hid behind his napkin but couldn't help but sneak a peek. His cheeks flushed even more when Minghao and Hansol raised their hands as well. Seungcheol and Jihoon shared a look before they joined, both of them slightly hesitant, and Mingyu was almost as red as Jisoo when he followed suit.

Nobody really knew what to say afterwards until the youngest Bonded broke the silence.

"What the heck." Chan's glare drilled holes into every single one of them. "You're supposed to be his Forcebearers, not his lovers; what is wrong with you?!"

"Channie...," Jisoo tried to intervene but the Guardian ignored him completely.

"Did you already forget what happened last time?! One person alone did enough god damn damage!" Seungcheol tensed under his heated stare. "And now you're trying to do what? A love-nonagon? What a freaking joke." He abruptly stood up, the legs of his chair screeching over the floor. "My parents were right. Forcebearers are supposed to admire and obey their Wielder, nothing more. Everything else just brings problems." With one last glare, he threw his napkin onto the table and left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Heavy silence filled the room.

"That went well." Seungkwan reached for the pot. "Anyone want more soup?"

"Damn it." Jeonghan looked almost as distraught as Jisoo felt. "Why does it always turn out like this? I just want it to be the way it was before." He buried his face in his hands while Seungcheol rubbed his back.

With a low sigh, Jisoo also set his spoon down. "I'll talk to him."

 

It didn't take long for Jisoo to find the youngest member of the group locked into his former room. Softly, he knocked against the door. "Channie? Can I come in?"

"Go away, hyung." Jisoo's heart clenched at his cold tone.

"I'm not going away. I'll sit in front of the door the whole day if I have to."

After a minute of silence, the lock clicked and the Wielder quietly entered, shutting the door behind him. Chan had returned to Mingyu's bed, stretched out and his back facing Jisoo. The Wielder sat down at the edge of the mattress but hesitated to touch the younger. "What's bothering you?"

"They're all stupid. They should know better than this." The mattress shook lightly when the Guardian punched it.

"It's hard to control feelings." Jisoo would know; his heart was currently a mess.

"Then they need to work harder! I'm the youngest and I still can do it because I know what's really important!"

"And what would that be?" Jisoo asked carefully.

"Loyalty."

The Wielder didn't like the way Chan had spat the word; it reminded him too much of Jiyong's ways. "But isn't loyalty out of mutual respect and appreciation worth more than loyalty based on a contract?" His back still turned towards Jisoo, the Guardian remained silent and the Wielder ran his hand over the younger's side. "I think you should find your own values to live by, not use the ones taught in your family."

It took a moment but then Chan finally turned around and faced him. Jisoo's chest once again hurt at his lost expression. "I don't want to be like my parents..."

"Oh Channie, you're not; don't worry!" The Wielder couldn't hold back anymore and wrapped his arms around the younger, who immediately buried his face in his chest. As soon as Chan started crying, the bond opened like a floodgate and fear rushed through Jisoo in breathtaking amounts. It took all his willpower to not cry as well at the sensation. Instead he comforted the Guardian by running his hands over his back. "What are you afraid of, mh?"

It was hard to understand Chan through his sobs. "I-I don't wa-want to l-l-lose you. I do-don't want t-to lose the o-others. Please do-don't leave me!"

This time, Jisoo had to bite his lip in order to stay calm. "I'm not going to leave you, sweety, nobody is. Don't cry. Of course I won't leave."

The Guardian looked up, his face wet. "What if you won't have time for me anymore because they are more important?"

He hiccuped and Jisoo wiped the fresh tears off his cheeks. "Chan, listen to me: There is nobody here who's 'more important'. You are all important to me and I would give everything for each and every one of you, do you understand me?"

The younger once again buried his face in Jisoo's sweater but nodded nonetheless. The next words were almost inaudible and the Wielder had to lean down to hear him properly. "I'm a hypocrite. They probably all hate me now."

He looked up when Jisoo chuckled. "I'm sure they'll forgive you. And I love you too, Channie." The Wielder placed a soft kiss on his forehead and Chan smiled through his tears.

 

Everyone had gathered in the living room when Chan and Jisoo returned. "We had a democratic vote and decided on comedy," Seungkwan informed as soon as they had stepped through the door.

The Wielder shrugged. "That's fine, I'm good with anything. Chan here has something to say."

The younger walked forward, a determined expression on his still slightly swollen face. "I'm sorry for what I said. I don't think Forcebearers just need to obey and what hyung said is true: a bond needs mutual respect and appreciation. We're going to make this work somehow but I'll still be his favourite because I live with him."

The perplexed silence that followed his words was broken by Hansol. "Oy, you little..." The Warrior lunged at him with a playful growl and, to everyone's surprise, Chan squealed and immediately fled into Jeonghan's arms. The long-haired Warrior looked as if his heart had stopped beating before he hid the young Forcebearer behind him, a wide smile on his face.

 

The pain in Jisoo's leg got too strong to ignore and with a tired groan he tried to wrestle his way out of the pile of bodies on the soft carpet. Jun grunted unhappily when his pillow moved away from him and turned to use Hansol's back instead, while Seungcheol's arms around Jisoo's stomach were so tight that it took the Wielder multiple attempts to free himself. Finally he managed to get up and limp away from his Bonded. After brushing off some of the remaining popcorn, he sat down on the sofa with a grimace to massage some life back into his leg. Looking around, he smiled at the sight of Chan in Jeonghan's arms.

"Have they been friends for long?" Wonwoo's unexpected voice almost made him fall off the couch. He looked over to the Guardian, who was lounging in one of the armchairs, and nodded.

"They've known each other since childhood but they never got along all that well. I'm glad that Chan is opening up a little; he was really hurt when Jeonghan left."

Wonwoo nodded and abruptly switched topic. "Did you like the movie?"

The Wielder sent him a puzzled look before he answered, "Yeah, I guess? It was pretty good."

"Seungkwan forced us to pick it. He said you'd like it the most." Wonwoo's face remained blank. "He's a weird guy."

"Oh god. I need to talk to him again; he promised not to use his ability to get what he wants."

The Guardian smirked. "His ability is convenient."

"Well, yeah... I don't think he likes it very much though." This time it was Jisoo who changed topic. "Maybe it's rude to ask but why don't you personalize your room? Are you planning to move out soon?"

Wonwoo's face once again turned unreadable. "I don't think Mingyu would like it."

"Why?"

The Guardian's eyes seemed to nail him to the sofa and the longer it took him to answer, the more anxious Jisoo grew - until he couldn't bear it anymore. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" He stopped when Wonwoo raised his hand.

"He wouldn't like it because all my stuff is related to him. He's my childhood friend. My only friend. But there's not much left anyway."

His tone was as calm as ever but the Wielder still saw the underlying sadness in his eyes. "What happened to it?"

"I couldn't bring much to the mansion. I sneaked some stuff in but obviously there was no time to retrieve it before we left. It's probably buried in rubble or burnt to dust. Don't look like that; it's not your fault." Jisoo bit his lip and nodded but the Guardian seemed sceptical. "Wait here."

It took him less than a minute to return to the living-room and sit down next to the Wielder on the sofa. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a tattered black wallet while Jisoo curiously watched him. With a flick of his wrist, Wonwoo opened it and the Wielder squinted to see what he was showing him.

Through scratched up plastic, he could make out a picture of two boys, arm in arm, both lanky and awkward looking in all of their prepubescent glory. But they were smiling brightly into the camera. The one without braces - Jisoo assumed it was Mingyu - made a v-sign while the other one stiffly held a basketball that obviously didn't belong to him.

"It's the most important thing I have." Wonwoo's voice was quiet and sad. "Even though we both look like shit." The unfamiliar sound of his laugh made Jisoo look up and he couldn't help but smile, although his heart felt like it was getting ripped apart. They remained next to each other in silence for a long time, both lost in thought.

 

Eventually Jisoo rubbed his eyes and suppressed a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven. You have to work tomorrow?"

"Yes. Let's get them to bed; we can clean up in the morning."

He got up and nudged his Bonded awake while Wonwoo stayed back and looked on, adjusting pillows and picking up popcorn from time to time.

Chan immediately wiggled out of Jeonghan's arms and clung to the Wielder. As usual, waking him up had made him extra whiny. "I don't wanna go out anymore, hyung. Let's sleep here, pleeeeease?"

"We have a futon and extra blankets," Seungcheol stated before Jisoo could answer. "You could sleep in Seungkwan's room since he's alone."

It only took Chan a minute to convince the Wielder and three more to convince Seungkwan as well.

 

Jisoo blinked into the darkness. Only Chan's soft snores and the quiet humming of the heater were audible in the quiet room. Something had woken him up but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it had been - until sharp pain pulsated through his chest. He frowned and peered at Seungkwan's bed. "Seungkwan?"

When no answer came, he carefully climbed around Chan's sleeping figure and got up, only to find the bed empty. Looking around, Jisoo turned on the bedside lamp and made his way to the door.

He found the Clairvoyant in the messy living room, curled up on the sofa. The muted television was casting flickering lights onto his face but his empty expression revealed that his thoughts were far away.

"Are you okay?"

The Guardian flinched and looked up, a rather convincing imitation of his usual bright expression on his face. "'Course, why wouldn't I be?"

Jisoo walked further into the room and sat down at the other end of the couch. "Well, it's almost four and you're awake."

Seungkwan shrugged half-heartedly. "I'm a night person."

"You know I can feel that you're sad, right?" The Wielder's eyes didn't leave the cartoon figures dancing over the screen and Seungkwan followed his example. Silence hung heavily between them.

"Maybe I miss him a little..." The Guardian's voice shook slightly at the confession.

"He was your Wielder; of course you'd miss him."

"That old man was a paranoid control-freak. But yeah, I do miss him. Only a little, though." Seungkwan stopped and took a deep breath before he turned towards the Wielder. "I have you and the others now."

Jisoo turned as well, facing his newest Bonded. He had never seen the usually tough Guardian this vulnerable before. "Something is bothering you, right?"

"Are you sure you're not secretly a mind-reader?" Seungkwan joked weakly before he sighed. "I should've taken your offer to join me at the funeral. I was the only one there, can you believe it? I felt horrible for him; I had no idea he was that lonely. And I've always tried to get away from him as well."

Jisoo could see the tears gathering in Seungkwan's eyes and the regret that rushed through their bond caused a lump to form in his throat. He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around the Guardian's shoulders. "He chose to isolate himself after forming your contract. You're not responsible for his decisions, so don't blame yourself."

Seungkwan sniffled and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his pyjamas. They remained silent for a while.

"You know, I'm glad everything turned out alright," Seungkwan finally said, his voice was less shaky but even more quiet than before.

"Yeah, me too."

"No, I mean- did anyone tell you that I saw you die?" Hastily Seungkwan kept talking when Jisoo froze, "Not that I want you to, of course! That's why I said that I'm glad. Not everything comes true."

"Well it's probably better that I didn't know about it. And I survived, so there's that," Jisoo mumbled and the Guardian looked more and more guilty.

"Sorry, I suck at keeping my mouth shut when I should. It's just- that vision still gives me nightmares from time to time. Sometimes I really wish I had a different ability." A dark look crossed his round face. "Everyone always wants it but I hate it so much."

The Wielder frowned and tightened his hold around the other's shoulders. "You know, I felt the same way about my Wielder mark. It made me a loner and I hated it. But by now I'm so glad to be a Wielder because otherwise I wouldn't have met you and the guys. And I'm also glad that you have your ability because otherwise we probably all would have died two weeks ago. So I guess everything has its good and its bad sides."

Seungkwan didn't answer for a long time and when he finally spoke, he sounded insecure. "Uhm... is it-... can I get a hug?"

Jisoo smiled brightly and moved even closer.

 


	50. Surprise

It was already getting bright outside when Jisoo's neck began to protest against the awkward position it had been forced into for several hours. The Wielder groaned quietly when painful stinging woke him up, his cheek pressed flush against Seungkwan's warm chest.

Careful not to wake the other male, he sat up and immediately winced when his muscles protested at the movement. He grimaced and rubbed his neck in an attempt to alleviate the pain but after about a minute, he gave up with a sigh. Hopefully it would get better by itself until he had to go to work.

The Guardian was still sound asleep and Jisoo contemplated whether to let him be, but seeing that his neck was also bent at a not very comfortable-looking angle, he decided against it and carefully ran his hand over the Clairvoyant's arm in an attempt to wake him.

It didn't take long to find out that Seungkwan was a heavy sleeper. A very heavy one. Quite literally, since the Guardian didn't even wake up when the Wielder half-carried, half-dragged him all the way into his room and finally dropped him onto his bed with a relieved exhale, only worsening his already sore muscles.

 

Chan's warm fingers on his cheek woke Jisoo after much too little sleep. Still, he smiled at the feeling and at the younger's content that filled him. The fingers wandered from his cheek to his lips and remained there until Jisoo had forced his heavy lids open. He was greeted with Chan's bright grin that shone even in the dim light of the room.

"What time is it?" he croaked, the Guardian's fingertips moving back to his cheek at the motion.

"Shhh Seungkwan is still sleeping. It's eight," came the whispered response.

Jisoo groaned. "It's Sunday, why are you awake already? Few more minutes, please, Channie."

The younger cast a doubtful glance towards the clock at the wall. "But you need to go to work today, hyung. And Jihoon said-"

"Work starts at one; there's plenty of time," Jisoo mumbled, already half asleep.

"Okay. But only this once." With a dramatic sigh, Chan snuggled closer to his Wielder, glad that the other couldn't see the wide smile on his face.

 

They got abruptly woken again forty-five minutes later by Jeonghan who unceremoniously marched into their room. At least he had the decency to knock once before waltzing in, but his entry still startled the occupants of the room awake rather violently. "Rise and shine, lovely people! The coffee is getting cold and Ji looks like he'll get an aneurysm if he has to wait any longer, so move your butts into the dining room ASAP."

Seungkwan grumbled and sat up, his hair sticking up in every possible direction, while Chan only mumbled something incoherent into the Wielder's shoulder and didn't open his eyes. Jisoo watched as Jeonghan eyed the younger before he tiptoed closer to their futon and abruptly pulled their blanket away, successfully making Chan squeal which in turn startled Seungkwan for the second time this morning.

Starting today, he would sleep in his own flat, the Wielder decided when the Clairvoyant began to scream profanities at the long-haired Warrior who answered them just as loudly while Chan kept complaining next to him. He sat up as well, ignoring the Guardian clinging to his waist, and grimaced when pain immediately shot through his back. This was going to be a long day.

 

"Oh look. It's Sleeping Beauty and the two dwarfs." Jihoon's unamused voice greeted them once they finally stepped into the dining room, after making themselves look somewhat presentable, followed by Hansol's and Jun's guffaws.

"It's Snow White and the dwarfs, not Sleeping Beauty," Jeonghan corrected, not even looking up from the magazine he was reading, his already empty bowls neatly lined up in front of him.

Jihoon shot him a look. "You think I give a shit? Why are you late?"

The last part was directed at the group that had entered and Jisoo felt the sudden need to protect his Bonded when they noticeably hesitated to answer the quick-tempered Warrior. Ignoring the pain the movement brought him, he took a step forward and a faint blush spread on his cheeks when Jihoon's dark eyes focused on him. The memories of soft lips and pale skin were still fresh. "I forgot to set the a-alarm to 8:30. I'm sorry."

The Warrior immediately softened at his words and waved his apology away. "Whatever. Eat, the food is almost cold already."

"Wow, you're all seriously biased," Seungkwan complained while he pulled out his chair. "Last time I woke up late there was no food left _and_ you forced me to do the dishes."

Jihoon's ears immediately turned a healthy red and the chopsticks in his tightening fist began to look rather menacing.

"Of course we're biased; he's our Wielder after all," Seungcheol said without the slightest hesitation and patted Jihoon's hand to prevent the upcoming massacre while Jisoo blushed as well.

"Where a-are Mingyu and Wonwoo?" he asked to move the attention away from him while Chan next to him grumpily began to chew on his lukewarm rice.

"They already finished eating," Jun replied and the Wielder nodded. Silence settled over the table.

"What's the plan for today?" Chan finally asked after several long minutes of clinking cutlery and rustling magazine pages, dabbing his mouth with his napkin.

"Shun'n'I-"

"Stop being a pig and swallow before you speak." The look Jeonghan pierced Hansol with over the rim of his reading glasses was filled with pure disgust.

For once, the Warrior actually listened to him before he repeated himself, this time without spitting rice all over the table. "Jun and I gonna hang out with Jooheon and Shownu. Mingyu said that maybe he'll come too as long as I.M's not there."

Jisoo perked up at the familiar names, his food forgotten at once. "How are they doing? Did you hear anything from the rest?"

"Not too bad. Wonho has connections so they found a place to live in quickly. And thanks to Seokmin, they all recovered without a problem," Jun jumped in. "They don't have a Wielder though and I don't think they want one after Jiyong. Although they probably wouldn't mind you," he finished with a grin and Jisoo blanched at the thought of seven new Forcebearers.

"Too bad we don't share," Hansol added smugly. The Wielder visibly relaxed while his Bonded laughed at his expression.

"What's so funny?" Mingyu's deep voice rang from behind them. He stepped through the door followed by Wonwoo. The Guardian was as expressionless as always and Jisoo felt a small sting when he remembered the fond smile he had seen on him the night before.

"Nothing important. Are you coming too later or are you staying home again?"

The tall Warrior hesitated at Hansol's question and Jisoo rubbed his chest at the feeling of Mingyu's unease. "I think I'll stay home. Just in case."

"Oh come on, you'll be fine. Nobody will recognize you. Just wear a face mask or something if you're worried," Jun pushed but the Warrior still seemed unconvinced.

"Nothing will happen," Seungkwan confirmed distractedly, focused on spreading jam on his toast as evenly as he possibly could, "But make it home before seven; we're going out for dinner."

"Uuh, we are?" Hansol asked, scratching his head.

"Yeah, Minghao will call and ask if we want to check out a new restaurant in Hongdae tonight at 7:30."

While most of the people present didn't seem phased, already used to his peculiar behaviour, Jun eyed the Guardian warily. "Has anyone ever told you that sometimes you're seriously creepy?"

Seungkwan gave him the stink-eye over his piece of toast before he turned to the rest. "I'll call him and tell him that we'll join. Seokmin is in, too."

"At least ask us first," Mingyu said indignantly and stole a spoon full of Jisoo's rice, causing the Clairvoyant to raise an eyebrow.

"Do you have anything better to do?"

"Well, no, but-"

"It's a deal then."

The tall Warrior looked as if he was going through a whole list of names he wanted to call the Guardian - but after a quick glance at the Wielder, he remained quiet.

 

It was Jisoo's turn to do the dishes and he had vehemently refused to accept any help. It hadn't taken long for him to regret his decision.

He stretched to open the cupboard but had to suppress a shout when pain shot through his back like lightning. Carefully, he placed the plates on the counter and leaned his forehead against the cool wood of the cupboard door, focusing on the sensation to take his mind off his screaming muscles. The thought of calling Seokmin for help was tempting, but as soon as it had popped up, the Wielder discarded it. He would not let his Bonded bear the outcome of his own bad decisions.

"Are you okay?"

Jumping at the deep voice behind him, Jisoo turned around and found Seungcheol watching him with a concerned frown on his face. "Uh yeah, I'm f-fine." He tried to muster a smile but based on his Warrior's expression, it didn't look very convincing.

"What's the matter? Are you feeling sick?"

Jisoo had avoided spending time with the Warrior alone ever since they had formed their new contract. The urge to flee was strong even now but the Wielder fought it down. "I think I pulled a muscle. It'll get better by itself, I guess."

His fake-smile slid right off his face when Seungcheol took a worried step closer and Jisoo pressed himself even further against the cupboard. At this sight, the Warrior stopped at once, sadness flooding their bond.

Awkward silence filled the kitchen until Seungcheol spoke, "I think we need to talk."

Jisoo paled at his words. "N-now? I need t-to get ready for work..." Trailing off at Seungcheol's disbelieving expression, he scratched his neck awkwardly.

"Jisoo, it's ten. Your shift starts at one and you're already dressed. Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm n-not," the Wielder immediately defended himself, cheeks flushing at his lie and eyes glued to the floor.

The Warrior only smiled sadly at his obvious attempt. "Are you scared of me? Did I do something? You're not avoiding the others, only me." Seungcheol's voice was almost a whisper.

Wide eyed, the Wielder immediately looked up. "No!" Grimacing at the pain that ran through him, he took a step forward. "No, I'm not scared, Cheollie. Really, please believe me!" Seungcheol's tense stance relaxed ever so slightly at his rushed words. "It's just. I d-don't really know how to handle the situation? B-Between you and me, I mean. I'm sorry." Jisoo ducked his head as the Warrior's expression turned guilty. "You're right, I g-guess we need to talk. Let's go to your room?"

 

The silence that filled the air seemed to weigh on Jisoo's shoulders, making him want to curl up and hide in a spot where nobody could find him. He hated the silence and the pressure it brought, but he also dreaded the moment when Seungcheol would break it. Nervously, the Wielder fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt, eyes following the pattern of Seungcheol's blanket to avoid the sight of the male sitting in an armchair across from him. He tensed when the Warrior cleared his throat.

"How did you end up with a pulled muscle? Was the futon that uncomfortable?"

That wasn't a question Jisoo had expected and the weight on his shoulders seemed to lift a little. Lifting his head, he focused on his Warrior. "No, it was fine. I fell asleep on the sofa while talking to Seungkwan and I brought him to bed later. I guess that's when it happened; he's almost as dead to the world as Jun when he sleeps." A genuine smile tugged at his lips and Seungcheol returned it at once.

The Wielder couldn't help but marvel at his handsomeness. He immediately scolded himself for that thought.

"I'm glad to be back in a contract with you. Daehyun is nice and all but his bond just didn't feel right." The Warrior's warm gaze was like melted chocolate and Jisoo had to avert his eyes to not drown in it. He had missed him so much.

"Yeah, I'm glad too," he mumbled, once again staring at the blanket.

"Why are you like this then? And don't pretend, I know when someone is avoiding being alone with me."

"I t-told you already."

"You said that you don't know how to handle the situation. What bothers you exactly?"

The Wielder remained quiet for a few long seconds, his fingers clenching and unclenching the seam of his shirt, before he had gathered the courage to open his mouth. "I'm scared that _it_ will happen again if I get too close to you," he finally whispered.

Seungcheol's voice sounded careful when he replied, "You mean that someone will leave again?"

"Yes."

Silence pressed down on them once again until - "I'm not about to accuse you of anything, please don't misunderstand. But why is it okay for you to do... you know, stuff with Jihoon - or any of the others, really - but not with me?"

Jisoo looked up, meeting Seungcheol's defeated gaze. "He told you?"

"Jihoon is my brother. And if he wouldn't have told me, Jeonghan would have. Did you want to keep it a secret from me?"

"I... I don't know, h-honestly," the Wielder admitted and he could feel his eyes starting to sting. He tensed when the Warrior got up and sat down next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"You don't have to be scared. We left because Jeonghan was feeling overwhelmed but we regretted it every day, even Jeonghan. He might not show it but he's very sensitive."

"Nothing stops him from leaving again though," the Wielder murmured, a tear trickling down his cheek.

Seungcheol wiped it away. "Jisoo, he came back and offered a new contract, knowing full well what that would entail. We all know and we're all ready to deal with it. Sure, sometimes it's hard but we want to be with you. Don't cry, love." At the petname, Jisoo bit his lip to hold his sobs back and buried his nose in the crook of his Warrior's neck. "You know, I blamed myself a lot for what's happened and I'm sure you blame me too."

"Sometimes." The Wielder's voice was muffled and Seungcheol shuddered slightly at the feeling of lips moving against his skin. "But I blame myself more."

With a smile, the Warrior ruffled his hair. "That's so _you_."

At his words, Jisoo looked up, eyes still watery. "Why?"

"Well you tend to seek the fault in yourself, right?" After a moment of thought, the Wielder nodded with a somewhat bashful smile and Seungcheol returned it brightly. "It's one of the reasons why I love you so much."

 

"Oh god, it hurts, Cheollie," Jisoo moaned into the pillow, eyes clenched shut.

"It will feel good soon, just try to relax. Breathe through the pain." Seungcheol's soothingly deep voice sounded from behind him while a new wave of pain hit the Wielder.

"Can't you be a bit more gentle? It feels like you're ripping me apa- ow!" Jisoo bit his lip to muffle another groan.

"Shh, deep breaths, Soo. Yes, like that. Relax."

"Cheol, your shirts arrived from the dry clean- oh."

Jisoo and Seungcheol looked like deer caught in the headlights when Jeonghan flung open the door, once again without knocking first. Immediately, the oldest Warrior tried to move away from the Wielder while raising his hands to prove his innocence, almost toppling off his bed in the process.

"Guess I'm interrupting something." The long-haired Warrior's voice was flat and Jisoo felt dread settle into his stomach.

"N-no! I pulled a muscle and Seungcheol offered a m-massage..."

"You pulled a muscle?! How did that happen? Did you tell Seokmin?" Jeonghan set the hamper down at once and stepped closer, his expression switching from anger to concern in an instant. He answered the question himself almost immediately. "Of course you didn't. You're probably the only person on earth who wouldn't make use of your Healer even while bleeding dry. Move over, Cheol." Without hesitation, he sat on the bed, pushing his brother aside, and ran his hands over Jisoo's back. "Where does it hurt, dear?"

"Hey, I was already helping him," Seungcheol complained and Jeonghan shot him a look.

" _Please_. You have the massage skills of a cave troll. No offense but even Jihoon would do a better job. And don't even start with your basketball practice; those guys are twice the size of Jisoo and have three times as many muscles. When do you have to leave for work, sweetheart?"

The Warrior opened his mouth for a retort but closed it again when he couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, he watched on as Jeonghan straddled Jisoo's lower back and began to work his magic while the Wielder finally relaxed under his much more gentle fingers.

"Around twelve, so I guess in about an hour."

"Great, then I have more time to pamper you. Wanna take a nice hot bath with me?"

Jisoo immediately blushed at his playful tone but Seungcheol grinned brightly. "Sounds good, I'm always up for some brotherly bonding and it's been a few years since we had a bath together. Should I ask Ji too?"

Laughter bubbled in the Wielder's stomach while Jeonghan hit his brother with one of his many pillows.

 

Jeonghan's massage and the heat pack he had given him afterwards had done wonders for his muscles. For the first time this day, Jisoo could move without feeling any sort of pain. It brightened his mood immensely since he had dreaded spending six hours at work moving about the shop while hurting.

With a smile, he said his goodbyes to his Bonded, most of them busy making sure that Hansol and Jun - who were responsible for lunch - didn't wreck the kitchen. Secretly glad that he wouldn't have to eat whatever the brothers were producing, he stepped out of the flat and strolled towards the bus station, searching for his card in his bag.

He had just pulled out his wallet when his phone rang and distractedly he answered. "This is Hong Jisoo speaking."

"Jisoo! Hi!"

Confused, he glimpsed at the screen and saw Soonyoung's name flashing there. "Oh, Soonyoung, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing great! I've already finished my paper yesterday; what about you?" The Forcebearer didn't leave him any time to answer and Jisoo exhaled deeply while the other kept babbling away. "Anyway. I wanted to ask if you wanna hang out? We haven't seen each other in aaaages because I was so busy with my Wielder but today I have free time and now I'm bored. We could go to the cinema or the mall or something; I really need to buy a sweater and new shoes."

Seeing his chance, the Wielder piped up, "Sorry, Soonyoung, but I'm on my way to work right now." He immediately felt bad at the silence that followed his words. Soonyoung's disappointed tone when he finally answered only made it worse.

"Oh I see. I understand."

"Don't be sad. How about you join us for dinner after I'm done? Chan will be there too."

Soonyoung immediately perked up at the offer. "Really?! Won't he be annoyed?"

Jisoo hesitated for a moment: He couldn't promise that the younger wouldn't be cranky at the sight of the talkative Forcebearer. "Well, he might be. But I think if you stick to the rest of the group, it should be okay. Minghao will join as well and you two get along, right?"

"Yeah, his tricks are amazing! Have you seen the one with the card and the pen? I still haven't figured that one out. But yeah, anyway, when will you be off? Should I pick you up from the bookstore?" To the Wielder's relief, Soonyoung didn't sound the least bit dejected anymore.

"No, no, it's alright. I should be done by seven and we'll meet in front of Hapjeong station at seven thirty."

"Okay, I'll be there! Have fun at work and see you later! It's gonna be awesome!"

The phone beeped and Jisoo rubbed his ear, an amused smile playing on his lips.

 

Jisoo had the distinct feeling of being watched, but whenever he turned around to look, he only found the rows of bookshelves he was supposed to restock.

It had started almost fifteen minutes ago. At first he had written it off as figment of his overactive imagination, but when the feeling had persisted, he had begun to get nervous. Maybe Mingyu wasn't as paranoid as Hansol always made him out to be.

Slowly, the Wielder moved in between the shelves, a stack of books and a notepad pressed against his chest and constantly on the look-out for anything suspicious. After a few more minutes of tension had passed, he even contemplated to call one of his Bonded or at least his colleague, a rank two Warrior, who was the designated cashier today - but he felt rather save inside the shop, so he pushed the thought aside.

He had just looked down to mark a book on his notepad when he noticed a shadow in his peripheral vision. Whirling around, he faced it - only to find a rack filled with colourful postcards. With a weary sigh, he turned back and nearly jumped out of his skin when someone stood in front of him.

"Oh my god! Jongup!"

"Hello Jisoo." The quiet Guardian smiled and Jisoo returned it shakily. "I didn't know you're working here."

"Yes, uh, I a-am. So, are you buying b-books?" The Wielder grimaced at his own stupid question but Jongup kept smiling and showed him the book he was holding.

"Yes. Sorry, I wanted to greet you earlier but you were busy."

"Oh, how long have you been here?"

"Maybe fifteen minutes? You looked nervous so I kept an eye on you."

Jisoo couldn't bring himself to tell the Guardian that he was the reason he had felt nervous in the first place, so he smiled politely and thanked him. "How's the rest doing? Is Himchan feeling better?"

Jongup frowned. "Don't get me started on Himchan. He stayed in bed for a week afterwards, pretending to be too weak to get up, and made me do all his chores. The others are perfectly fine."

The Wielder grinned at his annoyed tone and marked a book on his checklist. "Sounds like he's doing well. Do you want to take a seat? I could make you coffee in the back."

The Forcebearer hastily shook his head. "Oh no, don't bother. I've been here too long anyway; I need to buy groceries or Zelo will get grumpy. I'll just pay and leave."

Awkwardly nodding at Jisoo, he shuffled towards the counter while the Wielder watched him, the thought that someone was looking out for him warming his chest.

 

At exactly 07:03 pm, Jisoo locked the door of the shop and sighed in relief. It had been a long and tedious shift and although Jongup's surprise visit had been a nice distraction from the usual routine, the Wielder was more than ready to leave the rows of bookshelves and complaining customers behind for another week.

After a quick glance at his watch, he hurried to put on his jacket, worried that he'd be late. Twenty-five minutes were quite ambitious when it came to getting to Hongdae from his current location, but he hoped that if we would hurry to get to the station, he would be able to make it in time.

Hastily, Jisoo picked up speed and power-walked towards his goal, the night air cooling his reddening face. It didn't take long for sweat to form at his hairline, but he told himself that the station wasn't far and resisted the temptation to stop and take a breather.

His phone started ringing in his bag while he was contemplating to at least open his jacket. Finally slowing down, he rummaged through loose papers and books before he retrieved the noisy device. The ringtone indicated Chan and Jisoo smiled at the diligence of the young Guardian. Ever since the second encounter with Jaesang and his thugs, Chan had made it a habit to call him whenever the Wielder finished work, just to make sure that he was safe. Jisoo appreciated it greatly. The thought that he and his group of friends had helped sending Jaesang and Jiyong behind bars still felt foreign to the Wielder, but it made him happy to imagine that the streets were at least a little bit safer now thanks to them.

Jisoo had just lifted the phone to take the call when pain exploded in the back of his head and the world turned black before his eyes. The gravel on the ground scratched his cheek and blood dripped onto the pavement, but the Wielder was already too far gone to feel it.

Soonyoung dropped the brick he had used, his usual cheerful smile curling his lips, before he picked up the still ringing phone and turned it off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter to everyone who's celebrating! :)
> 
> (Did you all really think I'd let you off the hook just like that?)


	51. Memories

I knew that his eyes were following me while I walked through our room; I could feel them burning holes into my back. Ignoring it, I finally turned to sit down on my bed. But of course, as soon as I returned his gaze, he looked back down at his book. I had no idea what it was about and, frankly, I didn't care enough to ask since he wouldn't answer me anyway, but I used the chance to examine him, his face, his posture, his expression. His shoulders were hunched and a frown was creasing his forehead. It could've been because of the book's content, but, really, who was I kidding? During the past two weeks, I had never not seen him frown while he was alone with me, without the others to distract him.

In a twisted way I loved that he cared so much. I made sure to get a rise out of him at least once a day because I was terrified that one day he would just stop thinking about me. That would probably kill me. But right now I was pretty content with our relationship - though I would always be content as long as he was happy and I could watch over him. And I was grateful, extremely grateful for the chance we had gotten. Gone was the broken puppet that had followed orders without a second thought and back was my stubborn and outgoing childhood friend. I had missed him. Seeing Mingyu laugh when he joked around with the guys and how his face glowed when he spoke to our Wielder made me genuinely happy. I would've never thought that I could feel this way again, ever. After all, I had done things - horrible, unspeakable things – that haunted me every night. It had been hard to hide how vulnerable I became once we turned off the lights. Although I had always been the most vulnerable when it came to him.

I noticed that one of Mingyu's sleeves had ridden up slightly, revealing his scarred wrist, and the sight made my chest tighten. I knew every single one of his scars by heart. I had tended to the wounds that had caused them. I had cleaned and wrapped them time and time again. But then he had gotten himself caught. There hadn't been any other way back then, I had done it to save his life - but I had not yet gotten over the guilt of torturing my best friend. Of giving him new scars. Hearing the person most important to me beg for mercy I couldn't give – I had never felt worse in my life. And the remorse I felt for making him go through all this shit in the first place would never fade. It was always present, always in the back of my mind.

Mingyu had noticed me staring by now and pulled down his sleeve; the glare he shot me was venomous. I simply looked away, out of the window. I wasn't in the mood for a fight right now. I was too busy thinking about things I couldn't change any more. It had all been my fault anyway. When I was young, I had been ecstatic that someone was trying to befriend me; me, the quiet loner who had always sat alone and scribbled in his notepad. Not just anyone even, a popular student, friendly and kind. And I had always thought that he was too good for me - I still did.

I briefly wondered if he would have tried so hard if he had known how much it would fuck up his life. But yeah, he definitely would have, he was _that_ type of person after all. Unlike me. Because I had always been greedy for his friendship, I had offered him a place to stay once I had returned to Seoul in high school - and I had conveniently ignored that I would endanger his life with this decision. Of course I had regretted it. And of course had tried to stay away from him afterwards, to seem as disinterested in him as I possibly could - but of course it had backfired, spectacularly even. We both had ended up under the one person I had been running from most of my life. The moment Mingyu had agreed to a contract with Jiyong to save me was the moment I had promised myself to never let him out of my sight ever again.

I once again glanced at him. This time he looked like he was actually reading, his back comfortably leaned against the wall. I smiled before I looked back out of the window, following the flight of a bird with my eyes. I had failed at giving him the freedom he deserved but I still had tried to fulfil my promise to the best of my abilities. And I had told myself that if I couldn't protect him, at least I could make it more bearable. I had given him my food when nobody had been looking and I had sneaked him painkillers I had stolen from Daesung and Seunghyun when his wounds had looked too bad. I had offered to go on missions instead of him, blatantly lying in Jiyong's face why I thought I was the most suited. All the privileges I had earned had ultimately benefited Mingyu - although he couldn't remember it any more.

With a quiet sigh, I pulled my knees towards my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I should probably be doing something more productive than dwell on the past but the grey sky made me feel melancholic. The sky had been the same colour a few weeks ago when I first had noticed that something was off. Mingyu's empty eyes had looked more lively when I had met him in the hallway and a frown had crossed his face for a split second. From then on it had become more and more obvious that Seungri had forgotten his duties - and I had been terrified that someone else would notice eventually. So I had made sure to hide his traces as much as I possibly could. Fortunately nobody had noticed the missing camera logs and Jiyong hadn't questioned it much when I had told him that one of the more nosy guards had gotten himself killed during training. But it had all been for nothing.

My fists tightened and I tried to take deep measured breaths to calm down. To distract myself, I looked around the room we shared, the room in a flat full of near-strangers that somehow had turned out to be our saviours. I had once again followed Mingyu on his journey but I couldn't say that I regretted it. Although, to be fair, in the beginning I had wondered why all those powerful Forcebearers followed Jisoo around like dogs, yipping and wagging their tails once he gave them any sort of attention. I hadn't been able to understand why they would accept a Wielder as weak as he was. Compared to Jiyong, he was a joke. Physically weak, mentally somewhat unstable, no drive for bigger things. The first night I had spent here, I had gotten woken up by him crying after a nightmare and all his Bonded had rushed to his aid as if he was a newborn. Ridiculous. And although he had shown more compassion than I deserved, I had been certain that Wielders never did anything out of the goodness of their hearts. Still, we had already bonded anyway and I could watch over Mingyu once again if I stayed in the contract. It was a good deal. Also I had to admit that Jisoo's bonds intrigued me. They had intrigued me the first time I had met him, back when I had been working at my part time job. His bonds had been so bright. They still were, maybe even brighter now. They shone like beacons and I had never seen anything quite as beautiful before. I had wanted nothing more than a bond like that back then, not the ugly forcebond I had been carrying around - and I had gotten my wish. Although my bond with Jisoo still looked less durable than the bonds of the rest of the group, it was just as bright and beautiful.

I glimpsed at my chest, the bond sparkling in an otherworldly light that made me feel warm just by looking at it. I loved this bond. It helped me fall asleep and kept the nightmares at bay; it had a presence of its own that was comforting and affectionate. I wanted to keep it forever.

I let my fingers run through the bond and watched how it shone, the light dancing over my skin. It had taken me a while to figure out that I had misjudged the Wielder. What he was lacking in strength and stamina, he made up with feelings. He was emotionally strong, much stronger than most people, Wielder and Forcebearer alike. And by now I had turned into a dog as well, craving his attention. Nobody knew I still had that ugly old picture of Mingyu and me, nobody but Jisoo. It had felt good to show him, relieving, and I hadn't regretted my choice. Usually I was good at pretending, but sometimes I had the feeling that Jisoo could see right through me. Maybe it was the bond.

I followed it with my eyes. Bonds always connected Wielders and Forcebearers in the shortest way possible, regardless what came in between them. The bonds of me and Mingyu both vanished in the floor since Jisoo was out, working. The sight made me want to follow them.

"What are you looking at?"

His voice made me oddly happy. I hadn't expected him to talk to me today. It had been what? Four days? Since he last had spoken to me out of his own free will and while the others weren't around. To get happy about something like that. What a pathetic life I was living.

"Our bonds." I didn't look up to check but I was sure he was examining the spot I was staring at.

"What do they look like?" I could hear the curiosity in his voice. It was difficult not to smile.

"Hard to describe," I said - to irk him and because it was the truth. Oh, the joy of being able to get under his skin. I could hear him exhale agitatedly but I cut him off before he could give me a snarky retort. "Do you know what it looks like when sun rays hit fog?"

"Uh... yeah?"

"A bit like that. But more solid, somehow." At least when it came to regular bonds; I had no intention to describe forcebonds to him. I looked up when no answer came and found him staring at the floor in fascination. The curious expression on his face made him look younger. It made my heart ache.

"Do they have colours?"

"No."

"Do Jisoo's bonds look different from other Wielders?"

"They're brighter. They're beautiful."

Mingyu's eyes immediately moved to me at my change in tone and I cursed my soppiness when his brows furrowed. "You're not getting any weird ideas, are you?"

I showed him the blankest face I could muster but inwardly I was shaking. "Like what?"

His voice was as cold as ice. "Like getting interested in him. He's not a toy and he's also not someone you can conduct your shitty little experiments on."

That hurt. A lot. "I know," I said, forcing myself to stay calm. "I'm not some kind of freak just because I can see his bonds." It didn't work all that well.

Dark eyes stared me down. "Just a fair warning, Jeon Wonwoo."

I completely understood why they didn't trust me after my past actions and usually I could bear it without any problems, but somehow the current conversation had hit a nerve. "Thanks." I got up from the bed and confusion flashed over Mingyu's face. Hastily he climbed to his feet as well while I made my way to the door with measured steps.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." Some fresh air would help cool me down. Hopefully.

"We're going to get dinner soon." That had sounded slightly apologetic but I was too agitated to care.

"I'll pass." I closed the door to our room in front of his face. With a sigh, I grabbed my jacket and opened the front door, glad that nobody had been in the hallway to ask any annoying questions. I stepped into the elevator and pressed ground floor before I leaned against the wall and waited. My eyes once again followed my bond and I wondered what Jisoo was currently doing. He was the only person I kind of wanted to see right now.

 

-

 

I tried to get up, but I couldn't - the force that pressed me against the floor was too strong. The only thing I saw was the ceiling, way too high and way too ornamented for my taste. It moved in and out of focus, wavering slightly. The voices that mixed in the air were familiar but I couldn't make out exact words - I was used to it. It happened quite often in my visions. A feeling of dread grew in my stomach. I already knew what would happen but I also knew that I couldn't stop it.

I tried to look around and was able to tilt my head back slightly. Upside down, I could make out the fancy room that had gotten almost too familiar by now and some of my friends in similar situations to mine, struggling to break free.

"No, please stop, please, don't hurt him!" Chan's desperate voice was the only one I could understand clearly.

I didn't want to look. But I knew it wouldn't end if I didn't. And I wanted it to end so badly.

I forced myself to tilt my head even further, the muscles in my neck straining against the force that held me back. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could finally see Jisoo restrained on a massive polished wooden table and the ornamented dagger that would end his life.

Desperate screams rang in my ears and my vision tinted blood red before everything turned black and I sat up in my bed with a loud gasp, my hands clawing at the blanket that was wrapped around me. It took me a moment to calm down and push the dream back to where it belonged. Usually my visions faded over time but this one had persistently forced itself into my consciousness, even though it had been two weeks since it had first popped up. Back when Jisoo had been stuck in a house filled with murderers. I had almost gone crazy. But we had risked everything to prevent this vision from becoming reality and luck had been on our side.

I pulled the blanket closer again, snuggling into it in hope of a sense of safety. I knew that it had been Jisoo who had checked on me and had adjusted the blanket before going to work. The knowledge was oddly comforting.

 

-

 

"You need to do something about those dark circles, Seungkwan; you look like a zombie. I have a great eye cream you could try."

The usually sassy Clairvoyant ignored Jeonghan's words completely and trudged towards the sofa where Seokmin was reading Jihoon's newspaper. With a heavy sigh, he slumped next to the Healer who looked up, surprised.

"Are you okay?"

"No. Can you do anything against nightmares? They're getting worse. It's like a horror-movie starts running as soon as I close my eyes." Seungkwan ruffled his already messy hair in desperation and Seokmin frowned.

"Hm... I'm not sure how to help you. I can only heal physical injuries; dreams or any psychological damage is not something I can get rid of, sorry. And trust me, I've tried a few times already."

Seungkwan deflated, his expression completely defeated. "But I don't want to see that again. It's horrible," he whined.

The Healer patted his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" The Clairvoyant only shook his head and Seokmin nodded. "Maybe you can ask Mingyu for help? He's pretty good at calming Jisoo after he's had a nightmare."

"Yeah, maybe..."

"Guys!"

They looked up when the youngest Guardian joined them. Chan was frowning deeply, fully focused on the screen of his smartphone. "What's wrong, Chan?" Seokmin asked.

"I can't reach Jisoo. I've tried calling him and at first it rang a few times but now it's always directly going to voicemail. Do you think something is wrong?"

Before they could say anything else, Seungcheol answered behind them, "Don't worry, he said he sometimes has trouble with his phone's battery; maybe it turned off. Or he's already on the subway. We should get going too now if we don't want to be late." He had stepped into the living room, already wearing his parka.

The Guardians nodded and Chan dialed Jisoo's number one more time - only to glower when it went directly to voicemail once again.

 

"Where are we meeting Minghao?" Seungcheol asked idly, his eyes following the people who walked past them on the subway.

Seungkwan, on the seat next to him, seemed to get startled out of his thoughts by the sudden question. "Uh. He'll wait at exit five."

"Do Jun and Hansol know or should I text them?" Seokmin asked from beside him.

"Text them, just in case. And tell them to be on time, I'm hungry," Jeonghan decided and tiredly leaned his head against Jihoon's shoulder who shrugged him off without looking up from his phone. "Urgh, I hate public transport. It's too crowded and it's dirty. And hold the handle, Channie; it's dangerous."

"Yes, _mom_ ," the Guardian replied grumpily and Mingyu next to him grinned and offered him his arm to hold on to. "I'll text Jisoo the exit, maybe he'll get the message once he's outside."

"Is he still not answering?" Concern laced Seokmin's voice and his frown deepened when the younger shook his head.

"Seungcheol is probably right and his phone is turned off. But it's worth a try."

"How are we going to tell him where to meet if his phone's dead?" Mingyu asked but only silence answered him.

"Oh well, we'll figure something out," Jeonghan eventually said. "I don't mind going to the help desk and making a public announcement if I have to."

"Poor guy, he'll probably go home once he hears that," Jihoon snorted and the long-haired Warrior elbowed his brother in the side.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You'd totally add your horrible cutesy petnames." Seungcheol imitated his brother's higher voice. "Jisoo darling-sugar-baby, please come to exit five."

Everyone except Jeonghan laughed while the Warrior flushed pink and kicked Seungcheol's ankle.

 

"Over there." Jeonghan pointed in the direction of Minghao, Jun and Hansol, who were standing in front of a coffee shop, waiting for them. Looking around in hopes of seeing the Wielder as well, they made their way over to the group.

"Jisoo's not here yet?" Seokmin asked as soon as they were in earshot.

"Nope, maybe he's running late." Minghao shrugged and lifted his cup of coffee to take a sip. He stopped once he noticed the disappointed faces surrounding him. "Why? What's the matter?"

"I think his phone is turned off," Chan answered, waving his own with a frown. "My messages are also not reaching him, it's annoying. And I'm worried." His voice had gotten very quiet at the last sentence and the older Forcebearers shared looks.

"Ah, come on, Channie; it'll be okay." Jun wrapped an arm around the younger's shoulders and pulled him along. "I'll treat you to coffee and once we're back, he'll be here, alright?"

"Oy, what about me?! Jun, you traitor!" Hansol followed them immediately while the rest remained outside, eyes trained on the exit of the subway station.

 

They had relocated back into the station to make absolutely sure not to miss the Wielder. But while in the beginning it had been mostly Chan and Seokmin who had been worried, by now unease was visible in all their faces. Seungcheol's eyes were glued to the clock that read 8:12 and Jeonghan had returned from the help desk without success.

Jihoon hung up the phone with an annoyed grimace. "Nobody is answering on our landline, so he's not at home. What now?"

"Check his flat? Maybe he felt sick and went home or something?" Hansol proposed, hands tightly wrapped around his empty cup.

"But what if he got stuck somewhere and arrives after we've left?" Mingyu asked, closely examining the people that walked past them in hopes of spotting a familiar face.

"He's not stupid, he'll either go back home or contact us somehow. I think his flat is our best bet. Let's take a cab, I'll pay."

Everyone nodded at Seungcheol's offer and slowly they moved towards the exit, stealing glances at the stairs leading to the platforms for as long as they could.

 

"He's not here. I've looked everywhere." Chan's voice was shaking and Jihoon's frown deepened even further. It took him visible effort not to curse.

"Okay. Do you have something to write? Leave him a message that we're at my place and that he should contact us ASAP once he gets home. And then get back to the cab."

"Okay..."

They hung up and the Warrior rubbed a hand over his tired face.

"That didn't sound promising," Jun stated and Jihoon didn't even bother to open his eyes.

 

They all sat in the living room together, waiting for something to happen. Some were trying to read but most just stared into space and counted the seconds. The clock in the corner was ticking away and the air seemed to thicken with every passing minute.

At 8:49, Chan's phone broke the silence, making everyone flinch.

"Oh my god, is it Jisoo?!" Jeonghan had gotten up before the younger could even reach for his phone.

"Watch where you're going, dumbass," Jihoon hissed after his brother's knee had hit his back but he also eagerly turned towards the Guardian who was still fiddling with his phone.

"It's an unknown number," he announced, slightly dejected.

"Who cares, just answer," Seungkwan snapped and Chan rolled his eyes at him before he tapped his screen.

"Yes?"

The Guardian immediately recoiled at the volume of the voice that rang in his ears. His face visibly darkened once he recognized it. "Hellooooo, where are you guys? Sorry, I messed up and now I'm late, are you still eating? Can I still join?"

"Soonyoung? How did you get my number?"

"Eh? Jisoo gave it to me, obviously." Chan grimaced, while the rest of the group turned back to whatever they had been doing before the call, disappointment visible on their faces. "He said I should come to Hapjeong to have dinner with you guys but I don't know where exactly."

The Guardian completely ignored his sullen tone. "You talked to Jisoo? Today?" That caught the attention of the people present in an instant and the Guardian turned on his speakers.

"Yeah, while he was on his way to work. He invited me too. So, at which restaurant are you? What are you eating? Should I give you my order already? I'll be there in a minute."

Chan raked his fingers through his hair in agitation, the knuckles of the hand holding the phone turning white. "Stop talking about fucking food!"

Hastily, Seokmin took over and the younger tiredly leaned against Jeonghan. "Sorry Soonyoung, we're all a bit tense right now. We don't know where Jisoo is, did he tell you anything?"

"Uhm... no, nothing I can think of right now. He just talked about his job and dinner afterwards."

"Useless," Chan scoffed quietly and the Healer sent him a deprecating look.

"Did he get lost? Maybe I can help you! I'm good at finding stuff, you know; I once found the cat of-" Seokmin cleared his throat and Soonyoung stopped rambling. "Whoops, sorry, I talk too much sometimes. Anyway, like I said, I'm good at finding others; my ability makes it easy for me to locate people. So if you want me to look for him, just tell me and I'll help you out. He's one of my best friends after all," the Forcebearer finished happily.

"Thanks Soonyoung, I appreciate it. We'll just wait a bit longer, maybe he got stuck somewhere on his way home and will arrive any minute."

"Sure, but if he doesn't or something's up: you got my number, just call me. I'll be up all night to write my paper anyway. Let's meet for dinner another day, though!"

Seokmin agreed and hung up with a sigh. "We should probably call his workplace and check if he even arrived at work. But it's too late now and let's just hope we don't have to do it tomorrow."

Jeonghan looked beyond worried, his arms still tightly wrapped around Chan. "What if there was an accident. Should we call the hospitals? The police maybe? Do we need to file a missing person report?"

"Calm down, it's barely been two hours," Jihoon said, his voice calculated and cold.

"But Soonyoung is not wrong, do we have an ability that could help us?" Seungcheol asked and all eyes moved to Seungkwan who immediately raised his hands.

"Sorry guys, but as long as I don't see anything new, I'm out. I can't force my visions as long as they don't come to me."

"What about Himchan? He can trace people through the ground, no?" Minghao proposed but Seokmin shook his head.

"The people need to be somewhat nearby and it's much harder when they don't stand on soil. That won't help us in the middle of Seoul."

"I guess Soonyoung really is our best bet then," Seungcheol said slowly. "I wonder what his ability is; did he tell you before?"

Chan only shook his head and tense silence descended while everyone tried to think up more options.

The sudden sound of the door's keypad made them all tense before they jumped up and sprinted into the hallway, almost tripping over each other.

"Hyung!"

"Thank god!"

"God damn it, Jisoo!"

They all immediately stopped talking when the opening door revealed a very surprised looking Wonwoo, his hand still on the keypad. The silence that followed was incredibly heavy. The group eyed the Guardian with growing distrust and the surprise vanished from his face at once, his usual mask of nonchalance back in place.

"What a warm welcome," he finally said. "Did I miss something?"

"Where were you?" Mingyu was the first one to speak.

"I took a walk."

"Where?"

"None of your business."

That sentence was enough to provoke the tall Warrior and Seungcheol had to hold him back to prevent him from punching his childhood friend in the face. "Jisoo is missing, you fucker, and if I find out that it has anything to do with you or your mafia friends, I'll fucking kill you!"

The Guardian's usually expressionless face darkened at once and even Jihoon took at step back at the anger he radiated. "Do you really think I would-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Wonwoo froze, his widening eyes directed at Mingyu's chest before he grabbed his own, panic crossing his features. The other Forcebearers exchanged unsettled looks at his odd behaviour and everyone flinched when the Guardian suddenly threw open the front door, his eyes frantically roaming the floor.

Before they could ask what was going on, they felt it as well: Their bonds were heating up in their chests, more and more until it almost got too hot to bear, fighting back against an outside force - before, with a last harsh jolt, they shattered all at once, the violence of the act making the Forcebearers cry out in pain.

 


	52. Trail

Hansol was crying so hard his whole body was shaking while Jun had his arms wrapped around him, numbly staring into space and unable to calm his brother down. Next to them on the sofa sat Chan, his face buried in Jeonghan's shoulder, who looked like he was fighting back tears only for the sake of the younger.

"Anyone want some tea?" Seokmin asked, his voice toneless. Nobody reacted to his question and he wordlessly left the living room.

The hallway was blocked by Seungcheol, Minghao and Mingyu, who were frantically calling hospitals, police stations and any person they could possibly think of in search for the Wielder - fruitlessly trying to turn their desperation into something more productive. He stepped around them, into the kitchen, where he found Wonwoo staring out of the window into the night. They ignored each other while Seokmin made his way to the kettle.

As soon as the water started to boil, Wonwoo spoke. "It wasn't me."

The Healer remained silent and began to go through the cupboards in search for a tea pot. The other Guardian turned around, his usually stoic face distorted in anguish. "It really wasn't me! Please believe me!"

With his hand wrapped around the handle of the tea pot he had found, Seokmin slowly looked up and Wonwoo took a step back at the emptiness in his expression. "I don't care. I just want him back." Silence hung heavy in the air while Seokmin poured the water with almost mechanic movements.

A deafening _crash_ shattered the silence when the tea pot hit the floor and burst into pieces, hot water spilling over the tiles, soaking the Healer's jeans and sneakers.

For a long moment, neither of the Guardians moved - until Seokmin crouched down and began to cry, his face hidden behind his arms, shoulders shaking. Wonwoo slowly crept closer, careful not to step into the glass and the water cooling on the floor, until he stood next to the sobbing Healer. Wringing his hands, he looked around, unsure what to do, before he opted for crouching next to the other and awkwardly patting his back.

He almost toppled into the puddle when Seokmin threw himself against his chest. Helplessly, Wonwoo glanced at the door. When nobody came to save him, he hesitantly wrapped an arm around the Healer's trembling shoulders. "He'll be okay. Don't cry."

"He must be so scared." Seokmin's voice was shaking and muffled by the tall Guardian's hoodie. It took a moment until Wonwoo had deciphered his words.

"We can't change that right now. Let's put some cold water on your legs before your burns get worse," he proposed and tried to pull the other up but Seokmin struggled against his grip while he wiped his wet face with his sleeve.

"I can just heal them."

"You're unbonded." Wonwoo immediately regretted what he had said when the Healer began to sob once again.

"Everything okay?" Relief flooded him when Jihoon's voice interrupted his frantic thoughts. The small Warrior was watching them from the doorway, his face blank.

"He spilled boiling water on himself."

Jihoon stepped closer and examined the mess on the floor as well as Seokmin's wet clothes.

"It's nothing, the pants stopped most of it," Seokmin protested weakly but he didn't resist when Jihoon grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the kitchen.

Wonwoo remained behind together with the puddle on the floor. The thought of leaving it for Seokmin to clean up later was tempting, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it after seeing the other's breakdown. With a sigh, he began to search the cupboards for a dustpan to get rid of the shards.

He looked up when Seungcheol stormed through the door, an excited glow on his face. "Where's Ji?"

"Probably in his room. Wait, did you find him?!" Hastily, he ran after the Warrior, the dustpan still in his hand, and almost tripped over Seungkwan and Jeonghan who had heard him.

Seungcheol burst into his brother's room without knocking, almost hitting Seokmin with the door due to his overenthusiasm.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jihoon screamed, his hand pressed onto his chest to calm his racing heart, angry red tinting his cheeks.

The elder ignored his annoyance and patted Seokmin's shoulder with an apologetic smile. The rest of the group filed into the room to hear the news as well, the emotions displayed ranging from hope to dejection.

"Okay, so, Yongguk said that Himchan said that Jongup told him that Jisoo was at work today."

Everyone stared at him, waiting for some sort of groundbreaking news to come. When nothing happened and the oldest Warrior kept grinning, Jihoon's brows furrowed dangerously. "You made a fucking ruckus because of _that_?"

Seungcheol pouted. "But now we know that he arrived at work, right? Now we have a lead and we can do something, right?"

"Oh my god, I thought you found him," Jeonghan groaned and leaned against Minghao, who looked just as disappointed.

"I'll go back to bed and try to see if I can remember something that's _actually_ useful," Seungkwan spat and marched out of the room, pushing past Hansol who was unsuccessfully trying to hide his swollen eyes behind a tissue.

"I think it's a good start. Let's go to the book store and see if we can find anything," Mingyu proposed and Seungcheol's dejected face lit up at his words.

Jihoon ran a hand through his hair. "We are not god damn detectives or something and it's the middle of the night; what the hell are we supposed to do there?"

"It's better than not doing anything," Minghao countered and the small Warrior glowered at him.

"I think we should call Soonyoung," Seokmin interjected while rubbing burn ointment on his reddened skin. "He said he'd help us, right?"

 

The first thing Jisoo noticed when he woke up - even before the pain that flared up in his head - was the horrible emptiness in his chest where his bonds should have been. Completely disoriented, he quietly whimpered before he tried to reach out to wipe away the sticky wetness that clung to his face.

He couldn't move.

Struggling to open his eyes, he was met with the blurry sight of his body tied to a chair, his formerly pristine work clothes dirty and ripped. Panic hit him like a wrecking ball.

Frantically, Jisoo shook his head to get his vision to clear up, unable to comprehend what was happening. and he groaned at the nausea that hit him at the movement. Tears began to blur his sight even further but he quickly tried to blink them away. _Calm down_ , he told himself, _deep breaths._

Looking around, he found himself in a dark, empty room with white walls and a plush carpeted floor. The polished wooden door in front of him was ajar, warm yellow light streaming through the gap. He pulled at his restraints but they were unyielding. The panic in his stomach once again boiled up.

The Wielder froze when footsteps became audible, wide eyes directed at the door. The urge to scream for help was almost overwhelming but he forced himself to swallow it. Chances were that nobody in this house was on his side.

A shadow blocked the light that fell through the gap and Jisoo tensed, recoiling when the door got pushed open. The brightness that flooded the room hurt and he had to close his eyes for a short, horrible moment.

"Oh, you're awake. Are you hungry? I can get you a snack!" The friendly voice was familiar and Jisoo forced himself to look even though his head immediately protested painfully.

"Soonyoung?!" His voice sounded like he hadn't used it in centuries.

The blond Forcebearer chuckled and waved. "Hi! Sounds more like you could use something to drink instead."

"Wha-what's going on? Why are y-you here?"

Soonyoung shrugged. "Eh, someone has to make sure you don't die, right?"

Jisoo stared at him, unable to comprehend what the Forcebearer was trying to say. After a moment and no further explanation, he decided to ignore his words. "C-can you untie me, please? We need to get out of h-here."

"Ah, Jisoo, always so polite. You even said 'please' in a situation like this. I admire that, you know? You're the only person who's polite to me even though you're a Wielder, and I really, _really_ like that. Would you also say 'thank you' if I would help you now?" Soonyoung stepped closer and somewhere in the back of Jisoo's still muddled mind, alarm bells began to ring. He tensed and the Forcebearer smirked, an expression the Wielder had never seen on him before. "Can you say 'please help me, Soonyoung'? 'Please untie me, Soonyoung'? 'Please don't hurt me, Soonyoungie'? I'll consider it, you know?" He reached for the ropes and let his fingers run over them before he leaned down. "You're so cute like this; I want to _bite_ you." His face was only centimetres apart from Jisoo's, and the Wielder shrunk back as far as he could, cold fear spreading through his body.

Soonyoung's twinkling eyes suddenly widened. "Oh. I can't." He immediately straightened up and took a step back. "Whoops. Sometimes I get a bit carried away, you know? Anyway, I can't let you go, sorry about that. But like I said: I can give you food, snacks, drinks - whatever you want. I made a pretty good lasagna earlier and there's still some left, do you wanna try?"

The regular Soonyoung was back and the abrupt change disturbed Jisoo more than anything the blond had said before. The Forcebearer was still looking at him expectantly so he shook his head once, not daring to reply.

"Aaaw, are you sure? I put so much effort in it. It's really nice, promise! Surprsingly, I'm a pretty good cook if I may say so myself. I could- oh." Soonyoung's phone began to ring, cutting him off, and his slightly disappointed expression immediately morphed into excitement. He pulled it out of his pocket and the grin that spread on his face scared Jisoo.

"Guess who it is," he sang, stalking closer to the Wielder once again, dangling his phone in front of him so he could read Chan's name.

Jisoo paled at the sight. "Why is he calling you?!"

"Oh, I told them that I could help find you, you know. They said they want to wait but I guess they changed their minds after their bonds broke. It still took them a while though; I was getting impatient." Soonyoung frowned at his still ringing phone before he pocketed it and turned back towards the Wielder, slowly circling his chair.

Jisoo tried to turn as well to keep an eye on him but the Forcebearer remained out of sight, rummaging around behind the Wielder's back. The phone stopped ringing and he tensed as soon as he heard Soonyoung's steps approaching. Arms rested on his shoulders and blond hair tickled his cheek. Slim fingers began to snake over his bloodstained shirt. "You know, I feel a bit bad for you. Maybe you are just too nice? I think it's okay to be selfish sometimes," the Forcebearer purred into his ear.

"What d-do you m-mean?" Jisoo whispered, his voice shaking at Soonyoung's close proximity.

"Oh, never mind." The arms around him tightened and the Wielder gasped when they began to press on his throat, cutting off his air supply. He once again struggled against his restrains but couldn't break through. It didn't take long until dizziness began to dim his vision. As soon as his head drooped, the pressure was gone and he was able to fill his lungs with much needed air - before the arms tightened for the second time and his relieved whimper got cut short.

"Too bad I don't have more time; I've always enjoyed hanging out with you." The room flickered in and out of focus. Soonyoung's voice seemed far away until he released Jisoo once again and the Wielder desperately gasped for air. He recoiled when something soft got pushed into his mouth and weakly tried to spit it out but Soonyoung's hand stopped him. "Come on, don't do that. Have you ever tried to cut tape one-handed? It's freaking difficult. I'll break your neck if you don't stop now."

The last sentence was said with so much carefreeness that it sent a cold shiver down Jisoo's spine and he stopped moving at once. He felt light-headed and incredibly heavy at the same time, the dizziness from earlier slowly returning. The Forcebearer behind him made a sound of approval before Jisoo heard something rip and a relieved sigh. Even though he felt completely drained, he mustered his darkest glare once Soonyoung moved in front of him to seal his lips with tape.

The Forcebearer seemed genuinely bothered by the sight. "Don't be like that, Jisoo. It would be troublesome if the others would hear you; you'd do the same in my place, right? And I need them to be on their best behaviour later."

His phone began to ring once again and his face lit up. "Uh oh, guess it's time." Soonyoung grinned and let his fingers run over Jisoo's scratched cheek before he got up. His voice was cheerful when he answered. "Yes? Oh, hi Seokmin, what's up? Are you still searching for Jisoo?" Blowing a kiss at the enraged Wielder, he turned off the light.

The door slammed shut behind him while Jisoo screamed into his gag, fighting against the rope that tied him down.

 

Finally, at the second attempt, the call connected and Soonyoung's voice rang through the speaker. "Yes?"

"Soonyoung, it's Seokmin."

"Oh, hi Seokmin, what's up? Are you still searching for Jisoo?"

A crash was heard and Seokmin frowned. "Are you okay? What was that sound?"

"Just the door. My dog is a bit whiny today, so I had to lock him up otherwise I probably wouldn't understand a word you're saying. But don't mind him, he's a total sweetheart usually; I'm sure you'd love him. Anyway, how can I help?"

The Healer shrugged at the rest of the group before he turned towards more important matters. "You said you could help finding Jisoo, right? Something happened and we need to find him as soon as possible."

"Oh no! What's wrong? I thought he just got lost or something?"

"We don't know it for sure but our bonds broke so it's either another Wielder or he is... you know..." Seokmin swallowed and the Forcebearers around him lowered their heads. "But we're pretty sure he's still alive!" the Healer hastily added. "Anyway, we really need to find him."

"That's horrible! Of course I'll help you!" Minghao smiled at the concern in Soonyoung's tone. "Did you already call the police? He might be at a hospital if he had an accident. Do you want me to come to his flat or do we meet somewhere else?"

"We already called everyone but there are no reports yet. We're pretty desperate." The Healer's voice broke and he took a deep breath. "Jongup talked to him during his shift at the book store today, so we probably should meet there. Do you know where it is?"

"Yep, let's meet there in half an hour. And don't be so down, you'll find him. I promise!"

Seokmin smiled weakly at his optimism before they said their good-byes and hung up.

 

Jisoo had tired himself out trying to fight his way out of his restraints. He was thirsty and the areas where the rope had cut into his skin were raw and bleeding. He tried to shake his hair out of his eyes but it was sticking to his sweaty forehead. The wound on the back of his head was pulsating painfully with every beat of his heart.

Closing his eyes in fatigue, Jisoo hung his head, tears running down his cheeks and over the tape, dripping onto his pants. Slowly he sank into a fitful sleep filled with terrifying dreams of wide grins and mono-lidded eyes.

 

"Wow, you guys look like something out of a movie, amazing! Is it the same stuff you wore while going after that Jiyong guy? Your masks are so cool!" Soonyoung gushed at the sight of Jun's and Hansol's faces and immediately tried to touch them while the brothers looked vaguely uncomfortable at the lack of personal space.

Everyone except for the blond Forcebearer was clad in black, not knowing what was going to come but ready to face it head-on. An almost feverish energy had seized even the most reluctant members of the group after they had decided to actually go out and try to find the Wielder. Minghao had even brought the little earpieces they had used two weeks prior and had safely stored them in his backpack.

"Now what?" Chan asked while he closely examined the door of the book store, pulling the handle just in case.

Soonyoung seemed unbothered by his harsh tone and grinned before explaining, "Well, I'm a rank one Guardian and my sense of smell is pretty exceptional. Everything here smells of Jisoo; it shouldn't be hard to follow his trail."

Seokmin immediately looked interested. "How do you know which one is the newest? Does it smell any different?"

"Uh, it's stronger than the older ones. Smell fades over time, right?" The blond Forcebearer scratched his nape before he pointed down the road. "We need to go towards the station."

The group began to move, following Soonyoung who stopped from time to time to sniff the air.

"What do we do if he took the subway? Can you still follow him then?" Mingyu asked when the lights of the station became visible in the distance.

The blond male pensively blew out his cheeks and kicked a brick aside that was laying in his way. It hit a trash can with a loud _clang_ , making everyone jump. "Whoops, sorry! Yeah, I think I should be able to follow him; I'll just have to check each station we're passing."

"Aren't there too many smells? How can you smell someone in a place where thousands of people walk through each day?" Jun asked sceptically and Soonyoung sent him an offended look.

"Are you doubting me? Just because I'm rank one doesn't mean my ability is weak!"

The Warrior immediately shook his head. "No! Of course not!"

Hansol coughed loudly to show his disbelief and recoiled when his brother hit him over the head. "Oy!"

"Stop it guys, we don't have time," Seungcheol intervened and everyone sobered up at once.

Jeonghan linked arms with Chan and flicked his ponytail, hope glimmering in his eyes. "Who cares how we find him as long as we do."

 

"Are you sure it's here?" Even Jeonghan looked mildly impressed by the flashy houses surrounding them while Hansol was hungrily eyeing the expensive cars locked away behind high fences.

"Positive! It's definitely this house." Soonyoung nodded twice to emphasize his point and peered over the hedge in front of them. The unlit house was much smaller in comparison to Jiyong's mansion but it still exuded the same aura of wealth with its high windows and neatly trimmed lawn.

"Do you think there'll be guards? Or dogs? Or a security system? We can't do anything against those right now," Seungkwan whispered, his eyes narrowed and brows drawn together in a worried frown.

"Shouldn't we call the police and let them handle it?" Seokmin, the forever rational one, proposed. "If we go in it's trespassing. Or even worse: burglary, especially if Hansol can't keep his hands to himself."

The younger Warrior immediately sent him an offended look but Jihoon seemed to contemplate his words. "Well, I thi-"

"But Jisoo might get seriously hurt if we don't go in now! Especially if the police starts knocking at the door. Whoever took him is already in deep shit and if it really is someone with ties to Jiyong, you all know that they won't hesitate for a second to get rid of him," Minghao cut him off heatedly.

"I wasn't finished." The redhead shrunk under Jihoon's glare. "Also what stops them from killing us just as easily if we randomly walk in?"

"I don't care. I'm going," Chan suddenly said and immediately squeezed through a small gap in the hedge.

"Hey! Wait!" Jeonghan frantically tried to follow him and Jihoon rubbed his temples in growing despair.

"Well, there's no dogs here; I can tell you that much." Soonyoung piped up while the rest unsuccessfully tried to get the two Forcebearers to return. "And think positively: at least your bonds didn't break just because Jisoo died in an accident." He frowned. "Or maybe he is dead but I think they would've gotten rid of his body already then and not kept it inside the house."

"You really know how to make people feel better, Soonyoung." Seokmin shook his head while Mingyu glared at the blond.

"Yeah, maybe you should just stop talking," Jun proposed weakly before he squeezed through the hedge as well.

 

It was almost too easy to get into the house. Soonyoung took approximately fifty seconds to sniff out a window that was tilted instead of fully closed and Minghao opened it in even less time.

The plan they had come up with in a heated discussion on their way through the backyard was to get to Jisoo as fast as possible without any regard for cameras or any other security measures that wouldn't actively try to hurt them and then to immediately call the police. They were also hoping that Jisoo would be conscious enough to bond with some of them to keep them somewhat safe - or at least with Seokmin, so he could heal the worst injuries, since Soonyoung had informed them that he could indeed smell blood. It had taken the collective effort of the group to stop Chan from recklessly running into the house at his words.

By now they were creeping down hallways eerily reminiscent of their time in Jiyong's mansion but much more decorated and lavish. The thick carpets on the dark wooden floor masked their steps almost completely and Jun had to hit Hansol multiple times to stop him from reaching for small trinkets that would have fit snugly in the pocket of his hoodie.

"How much further?" Mingyu whispered. Soonyoung sniffed the air before he pointed at a door at the end of the hallway, next to a broad set of beautifully ornamented stairs.

"Anyone else there?" Seungcheol breathed and the blond shook his head. Everyone relaxed slightly and Seungkwan even dared to stand upright and stretch his back with a silent groan.

"Okay, let's do this," Jeonghan hissed, fear and anticipation on his face. "Ready?"

"Alright." Soonyoung nodded and sped up his pace - but the sound of a closing door somewhere upstairs made the Forcebearers tense.

"Wait!" Seokmin jumped forward and pulled the blond back by his shirt. The sound of ripping fabric filled the air. "Ah, sor-"

"What the fuck." Although it was quiet, Jihoon's voice was as cold and hard as steel. "You're not a Guardian. And you're not a rank one either."

Soonyoung froze, his back still turned towards the group, the five star sword mark on his shoulder on full display.

"What's going on? How did you know-" Minghao began but then the air got driven out of his lungs when his back hit the wall. Several expensive looking vases fell and broke at the impact. Next to him, Chan groaned in pain and tried to move, but, just like the rest of the group, an invisible force was pressing him flat against the wall. Breathing alone was a struggle.

Soonyoung turned around, the wide grin on his face oddly out of place in their current situation. "How was my acting? Was it convincing? I've always wanted to be an actor!"

 

Jisoo woke up with a jolt as soon as the door knob began to turn. He looked up, waiting for Soonyoung to appear once again.

Instead, a much taller figure stepped through the door once it had swung open and flicked on the light. Squinting at the brightness, the Wielder tried to make out the face of the person - and his eyes widened in horror once he realized who stood in front of him.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Hong Jisoo."


	53. Bright and happy

"Creep!"

"Weirdo!"

A sickening _crunch_ rang through his ears when the stone hit his nose. Blood began to pour out of his nostrils almost immediately. The little boy looked up at his attackers, his expression blank. Slowly, he lifted his sand-crusted hand and watched the red fluid drip onto it.

"Eeew, you like blood or something?! Gross!"

"Soonyoung is a vampire!"

Screams of laughter filled the air of the empty playground, almost drowning out the quickly approaching footsteps.

"Park Jongwoon!"

Hoshi kept watching his fingers, ignoring the much lankier boy who came running at full speed and tackled one of the bullies to the ground, punching and kicking every body part he could reach. Jongwoon screamed and shielded his head while his friend tried to pull the lanky boy off the other.

After a few more punches, the newcomer let the whimpering mess be and turned towards the second bully, who was watching him cautiously. "I'll kill you both if you touch Ji again! Get lost, Sungmin!"

Helping Jongwoon up, Sungmin glared at the boy before the duo ran towards the main building as fast as they could. Once the distance was big enough, Jongwoon dared to shout a response: "I'll tell Miss Lee! You'll get in big trouble, Seungcheol!"

Seungcheol only snorted and brushed the sand off his worn-out clothes until he noticed the still bleeding boy on the ground. They examined each other for a long moment, neither of them speaking, before Seungcheol frowned in disgust and turned to return to the main building of the orphanage as well.

 

By the young age of seven, Hoshi had already learned that fighting against people stronger than him only brought more problems.

 

"What happened? Why are you awake? For Christ's sake, stop screaming, Sungmin!"

"But Blinky is gone! Someone took him!"

"Who's Blinky? Pets are not allowed, you know that."

"My plushie! Please, I really can't sleep without him! I need him!" The voice dissolved into another barrage of sobs.

"What are you? Five? Stop making a ruckus and go back to bed. If you wake up the rest, you'll get detention."

Hoshi quietly closed the door of the dark kitchen where he had hidden to listen in. The plushie was soft between his fingers and he petted it for a while before he lifted the knife he had found in one of the drawers and cut off its head.

 

The only person who visited Hoshi from time to time was a women he called Auntie.

She had explained who she really was, using difficult terms, but he didn't care and she had accepted that. She accepted a lot of things other people didn't accept about him. Hoshi didn't mind her presence much since - although she didn't understand him either - she sometimes gave him valuable advice.

 

It hadn't taken Hoshi long to notice that staying on the good side of the people in charge brought certain benefits - but somehow he couldn't figure out how to reap those benefits himself. Whenever he tried, all he got from the caregivers were looks, the same looks he got from the children. Looks that said: "Stay away from me, creep."

 

When Hoshi was nine, he asked Auntie why he was different from the other children in the orphanage.

"We still don't know what causes some people to be different but we assume that it might be a trait you got from your parents before you were born, Soonyoung. Or maybe they did something that caused you to turn out this way. Unfortunately, without knowing your past and your parents, it's hard to determine."

Hoshi had stopped listening after the second sentence. "So it's all my parents' fault?"

"Well..." Auntie hesitated. "I wouldn't call it fault. But yes, they probably are one of many causes."

That was enough confirmation for Hoshi and a strange sensation rose in his chest. It was their fault. "I want to find them."

Now Auntie looked slightly wary. " _Why_ do you want to find them, Soonyoung?"

"I'm curious." Everything was their fault. They had to pay.

The woman smiled at his flat tone and shook her head. "I'm sorry but I don't think you'll be able to. You said yourself that you can't remember them, right?"

Hoshi remained quiet for a while, only the clock in the corner breaking the silence, before he abruptly switched topic. "What can I do to be normal?"

"I thought you like the way you are?"

For a split second, the boy hesitated - but when he answered, his voice was as indifferent as usual. "I want others to like me, too." It would make his life easier.

Auntie smiled and scribbled something on the notepad she was always carrying around. "Well, people are scared of everything that's different, so you should practice to fit in. Maybe you could start by smiling more? It's important to show your feelings and everyone likes bright and happy people, right?"

 

For as long as he could remember, Hoshi had observed others. Although he couldn't comprehend the emotions they displayed, he studied them whenever he was bored - which was a state of mind he found himself in quite often. Those observations had only further proven to him that he was an outsider - not that he particularly cared - but he had never considered using the knowledge he had gained for his own benefit.

That day, Hoshi spent several hours in the bathroom, practising how to smile in front of the mirror.

 

It took him a few days until he was certain that he could pull off his act convincingly. He had taken his time to observe some more: Which behaviours made others follow along and which didn't? He had figured out that besides smiling, being talkative seemed to help as well.

 

His first test run included the kitchen staff. It was forbidden for the children to get seconds but if they asked nicely enough, sometimes the lunch ladies would slip them a treat. Hoshi had tried multiple times before but he had always gotten sent away empty handed.

Today was the best chance he would get to test his skills since one of the newer employees was handing out food. When he strolled up to the counter, he forced his mouth into the shape he had practised and mentally went over what he was going to say.

As soon as he held out his plate, his act began.

 

With his new tactic, Hoshi's success was tremendous. The children took more interest in him, now that he behaved approachable, and he got praise from his caretakers for his change from disinterested and cold to upbeat and happy. Auntie was satisfied as well when he told her about how he hadn't gotten bullied in over three months.

But nobody was as satisfied as Hoshi himself. People were much more inclined to share their belongings with him now. They became forgiving and even began to follow his orders if he softened them with a smile.

Sometimes he slipped up but those times became more and more rare and, due to his calculating nature, he was able to gloss them over without a hitch.

 

"Piss off, old hag!"

"Lee Jihoon! How dare you speak to me like that! Detention! For you _and_ Seungcheol!"

Hoshi stared after the two boys and the fuming caretaker escorting them, wondering why they were dumb enough to go against an opponent they couldn't defeat. He shook his head at their stupidity before he turned back to the girl he had been talking to. She still seemed reluctant to steal her friend's wallet but Hoshi's carefree smile made her visibly relax.

 

Hoshi liked to see people cry. Sadness was one of the few emotions he wasn't very good at imitating since he couldn't quite grasp the concept. He was never sad. He was angry or frustrated and sometimes annoyed and it all turned into vengefulness as time went by, but sadness was something he only understood in theory. It fascinated him.

Of course he could cry too, he had tried it multiple times in front of a mirror, but it always seemed to be lacking something. It bothered him that he couldn't make it look more convincing. It would open up so many new possibilities.

 

"Kwon Soonyoung, we found some of the things that have gone missing in your wardrobe. Care to explain yourself?"

Hoshi looked wide eyed at the manager of the orphanage, fear painting his features and eyes brimming with tears. "But Sir, it wasn't me! Please believe me!" His voice was shaking in distress.

The old man's eyes softened at his anxious expression. "Soonyoung, they were in your closet. It's hard to deny that this makes you the prime suspect."

The boy looked down, his shoulders trembling slightly. "I don't know how that got there..." he whispered, his voice breaking, "I don't know why but I was getting bullied pretty badly for a while... they might try to finally get me kicked out?" He wiped a tear from his cheek and accepted the tissue the old man offered him. "If I had to hide something, I wouldn't put it in my own closet, right?"

"You've got a point there," the manager said thoughtfully, his fingers twirling his moustache. "I've received only positive reports about you and you're an outstanding student. I don't want to destroy all your efforts with this, so I'll let you off the hook. But if something like this happens again, tell me about it first; that includes bullying, okay?"

"Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!"

Hoshi left the room, a satisfied grin on his face once his back was turned to the director.

 

"So, that girl you're seeing - is she nice?"

"Yes."

Auntie wrote on her notepad before she focused back on Hoshi. "I'm curious; tell me a little about her. How did you start dating?"

"She went up to me at school and asked if I want to go eat ice cream together." She had offered to pay, of course he wouldn't say no.

"How did you feel then?"

"Happy." He liked getting stuff for free. He didn't give a damn about the girl.

Auntie nodded, a dreamy smile on her face. Hoshi examined her expression and wondered if he would be able to emulate it. "Ah, I remember when I first met you, you were such a quiet and cold kid and now look at you: You got yourself your first girlfriend. You've come a long way, Soonyoung. I'm really proud of you."

He grinned brightly in response. "All thanks to you. You've helped me a lot."

 

Recently Hoshi had found a new hobby: When everyone was asleep, he sneaked into the offices where most of the orphanage's records were stored and went through the files.

At first he had only done it to find more information about his parents but as soon as he had finished reading his own rather thin folder, temptation was too big to let the other files remain untouched.

Most of the contents were not the least bit interesting but some folders held knowledge that caused anticipation to rush through his veins. Soon some people would pay for how they had treated him in the past.

 

Relationships were not for Hoshi. They required too much attention and the benefits were too small to justify the effort.

The girl complained a lot. She complained about not seeing him often enough, about his lack of interest in spending time together, about his lack of interest in her in general and about not getting gifts and attention. She also didn't do what he wanted her to do. And with every complaint that left her lips, the urge to tightly wrap his fingers around her neck grew.

But he had learned to behave and so he kept smiling until she left by herself a few weeks later.

He regretted not getting more ice cream out of the whole ordeal.

 

Sixteen year old Hoshi sat alone on the bench of the small cathedral where the funeral for Auntie was being held. He wasn't there because he wanted to, of course; his caretakers had forced him to go and since he didn't want to snub them, he had obliged.

The pastor droned on and on about how Miss Kim had changed lives by being a wonderful therapist, regularly visiting shelters for the homeless and orphanages in her free time. Halfway through, Hoshi was drowning in boredom. Letting his eyes wander, he examined the other people present, who looked like they could've been co-workers or family. The grief in some of their faces fascinated him. How could a single person be important enough to warrant an expression like that? All Hoshi felt was a twinge of disappointment at the thought that she was gone. Now nobody would give him advice any more.

 

Even though he had successfully graduated High School at the age of seventeen, Hoshi was still living in the orphanage. Unlike most of his peers, he didn't mind living there and he didn't feel the urge to move out. Therefore he remained where he was and helped with the everyday necessities to pay for the single room he had been given once he had agreed to the conditions. He had no plans for the future other than finding his parents and that was something he could accomplish best while he stayed right where he had begun his journey.

 

Hoshi had always been one to value his possessions and accumulating more was one of his favourite pastimes. It didn't matter to him how he got the stuff he wanted, it only mattered that he got it. And now, with his first pay check, he could finally buy whatever he wanted.

He strolled into the mall, glancing at the different shops until he found what had fascinated him for a while now. When it came to certain items, he didn't mind resorting to theft if he had to, but in this particular case getting what he wanted had been more difficult to achieve.

He examined the bright picture of the male model with platinum blond hair one more time before he confidently stepped through the door of the hairdresser.

 

Nobody knew exactly when Hoshi's birthday was, therefore it always came and went without anyone taking notice.

It was Thursday afternoon when Hoshi decided to visit his favourite public bathhouse. Forcing his body to endure the heat of the sauna always set his mind at ease and recently it had gotten harder and harder to keep certain thoughts at bay. Like the thought of how incredibly boring his life had become.

It had always been difficult for Hoshi to stay interested in one task over a long amount of time. It was dangerous for him to get bored, he knew that. He tended to do things that other people perceived as abnormal then and he couldn't risk destroying the illusion of normality that kept him comfortably safe.

The bathhouse was empty when he walked into the large, tiled hall, one of the reasons why he preferred this place over others. The hot water burned while he slowly waded into the first pool. With interest, he watched his skin turn red at the contact. Once it reached his chin, he relaxed and let himself float, while he tried not to think of anything - but of course it didn't work; his mind often had a will of its own.

For a while he pondered how he could get new information on his parents but he had read all the data of the orphanage multiple times and he didn't have enough money to hire someone to dig any deeper. Frustration ran through his veins and he opened his eyes again, glaring at the ceiling. Abruptly, he got up and made his way to the stone steps of the pool, goosebumps rising on his skin when the cooler air hit him.

He grabbed his towel before he swiftly walked in the direction of his favourite part of the bathhouse, the sauna.

His anticipation got curbed by a throaty voice. "Ballsy, walking around naked while you're unbonded."

Hoshi stopped and looked around to check whether anyone else could have been the recipient of the words, but, just like before, the vast tiled halls were empty. He turned and found a man around fifty sitting in one of the cooler, shallower baths, the mark of a Wielder stretched out on his protruding stomach. Hoshi returned his piercing stare blankly - not the least bit interested in entertaining random people he would never see again - before he turned back towards the door to the sauna area.

He had almost reached it when a cold hand wrapped around his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip and pulled him backwards.

"You're fucking ignoring me, huh?"

The sudden yank made Hoshi stumble. His bare feet slipped on the wet tiles and he almost tumbled into one of the pools before his body painfully met the ground.  
Looking up, he found the Wielder standing above him in all his naked glory, seething with rage.

A tingle of excitement stirred in Hoshi's stomach, a welcome change to the usual boredom. This man was nobody he knew. For once he could do whatever he wanted.

"Let's see if you're still arrogant once you're bonded."

Taking in his threatening stance, Hoshi eyed him with sudden interest. "What would I get for being your Forcebearer?"

The Wielder's face darkened at his question. "A good spanking, you little shit."

He bent down to grab Hoshi's wrist once again and the boy let him, following along when he pulled him closer to the edge of the pool. Curious what the other would do, Hoshi waited and looked on as the Wielder cut his own arm at a sharp, ragged corner of one of the tiles.

Something tingled in the boy's chest at the sight of blood. He had always liked the colour. Fascinated, he stepped closer, confusion flashing over the Wielder's face at his odd reaction.

"I have to hurt myself too, right?" Without hesitation, Hoshi followed the man's example and held out his arm as soon as droplets of blood became visible on his skin.

With a wary look, the Wielder pressed their wounds together and the blond immediately clutched his chest. "I feel it! Oh god!" The man examined his still bleeding arm with furrowed brows until Hoshi started grinning. "Just kidding! I don't want your shitty contract."

Bright red spots dotted the Wielder's face and his eyes narrowed in anger before his grip on Hoshi tightened painfully. "I'll get you arrested if you don't accept! I'll destroy your fucking life!"

A thrill went though Hoshi when he watched their blood mix once again.

The older male stared at his arm in astonishment. "Why is it not working?!"

"You can't force me." The grin on Hoshi's face had turned cold, a twisted version of its former happy brightness. Stepping forward, he used the man's state of distraction for a well-placed kick against the side of his knee. With a yell, the older male stumbled towards the edge of the pool and fell. The blond was on top of him in seconds and grabbed his thinning hair. The sound of the Wielder's head meeting the tiled floor echoed through the hall before the splash of water drowned it out.

Hoshi slipped into the pool as well, watching in satisfaction as the water turned rusty. It wasn't particularly hard for a healthy eighteen year old used to physical labour to hold down a dazed man twice his age.

The drowning Wielder shuddered in his grip and the feeling went straight through Hoshi's core.

 

Hoshi picked up his towel from where it had fallen to the floor a few minutes prior. He turned and for a long moment he watched the body float peacefully in the reddish water before he turned back towards the door to the sauna, a smile playing on his lips.

The lack of cameras was also one of the reasons why he enjoyed bathhouses so much.

 

After his run in with the Wielder, Hoshi was eager to figure out his rank as well as his ability. He wasn't ready to give up his freedom without getting something good in return though. After thinking it through for a while, he decided that asking one of the caretakers for a short-term contract was probably his best bet since no Wielder would make him a good offer without knowing his rank first.

At the same evening, he approached one of the older employees who he had known for several years and at least somewhat trusted to keep their word. He even wrote an actual contract that both of them and the manager of the orphanage signed, just to make sure that he could get out whenever he wanted.

Triumph exploded in his chest as soon as five stars began to shimmer on his skin.

 

His new status opened up a whole new world to explore for Hoshi. For a while, he was very content just testing the boundaries of his ability as well as picking a suitable Wielder.

He had published a notice on a website that he was currently searching for a Wielder and there wasn't a day where he didn't get at least one message from an interested candidate. A few had asked him to meet up in sketchy areas and had tried to force him into a bond but they had never succeeded and - depending on Hoshi's mood - for most of them it had not ended well.

 

Three years after the bathhouse incident, not long after he had turned twenty one, Hoshi finally found his ideal Wielder.

The blond was working in the garden when an expensive car stopped in front of the main entrance and a young man dressed in designer clothes stepped out of it. The aura of wealth immediately caught the Warrior's attention.

Hoshi got up to wash his hands before he followed the man inside. They met again in the manager's office who was busy offering all kinds of snacks and treats but the Wielder declined with thinly veiled disgust on his face.

"Show me your mark and ability." The first words he spoke to Hoshi were cold and held a tinge of annoyance and the Forcebearer immediately grinned at the feeling of meeting a like-minded spirit. Without complaint, he showed what he got and the Wielder seemed satisfied with what he had seen.

Then it was Hoshi's turn to voice his demands.

 

Hoshi walked along the decorated hallways of his new home, taking in the lavishness of the furniture. It wasn't exactly to his liking but if he would sell some of it, he could make a nice side-profit. Not that he needed it any more; he got paid plenty next to some other benefits, all for being in a contract and keeping the house somewhat clean and maintained. Life was good.

He took out the phone his new Wielder had given him. It had no numbers saved inside and the man had told him to keep it on him at all times, so he could reach him if he ever needed him. So far it had stayed quiet and with a shrug, Hoshi chugged it into the corner before he stretched out on the expensive leather sofa and turned on the TV.

 

Over the years Hoshi had changed. In the beginning he had to make an active effort to appear bright and happy, but - although it was still not reflecting his actual feelings - by now it had become like a comfortable second skin he could slip in and out of. Most of the time he even preferred his fake persona over being himself.

Sometimes, when boredom crept back into his life, he idly wondered at which point his act would become his actual personality.

 

Hoshi was twenty-two when he received the first message on his phone.

[21:36] unknown number: You're enrolled in university starting Monday. I need you to find someone.

 

"Do you want some? I made them myself." Jisoo asked and offered a bag of cookies to Hoshi. "Chan ate the ones he was supposed to decorate though."

The Wielder frowned and the blond felt a smile tug at his lips while he reached for the sweet treat. "Sure thing, thanks! Isn't it a compliment to the cook that he ate them directly? You should be flattered, you know?"

The cookie was chocolaty but not overly so, with a hint of cinnamon, and it seemed to melt on his tongue. Hoshi kept silent for a moment to savour the taste. He couldn't remember ever tasting something so perfect.

 

"Soonyoung! Do you want to join us for lunch?"

Hoshi hastily pushed his phone into his bag before he turned around to greet Jisoo. The Wielder's brows immediately furrowed when he saw his face and uneasiness emerged in Hoshi's chest.

"Sorry, did I startle you?"

"No!" Bright and happy. Hoshi forced his usual smile on his face. "Okay, maybe a little. But don't worry, I have a pretty strong heart. I don't die easily." He winked charmingly and allowed himself to relax once Jisoo chuckled. "Did you say lunch? I'm totally in, I only need to go to the toilet for a second but I'll find you afterwards, okay? And don't worry about eating first, you're super slow anyway."

"Uh, okay, sure. I'll see you in the cafeteria."

As soon as Jisoo had left, Hoshi speed-walked around the next corner and pulled out his phone to answer his Wielder's message.

 

The usual group was having lunch together and Hoshi was animatedly retelling how his professor had found out about a forgotten homework while Chan and Seokmin laughed at his misfortune. Jisoo was watching them, a content smile on his face.

Hoshi's phone vibrated in his pocket but he ignored it for the sake of his story. Once they had turned towards other topics, he pulled it out.

[13:25] unknown number: Get him to come over. I'm tired of waiting.

Anger bubbled up in Hoshi's chest; he hated it when his Wielder tried to meddle in his affairs. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he placed his smile back on his face. As soon as he saw a chance, he jumped into the conversation. "Guys! My Wielder just told me he's out tonight; wanna come over and hang out? I don't have anything planned and it's Friday.... pretty please?" For added effect he pouted in Jisoo's direction and his effort got rewarded with a smile.

But before the Wielder could answer, Chan piped up, "Hyung! You said we would cook together tonight and then watch a movie!"

Hoshi's knuckles whitened and it took him quite some effort to stay relaxed. He frowned sadly. "Aw, maybe we can do it at my place? I have a kitchen and a TV too, you know?"

"Okay, okay!" Jisoo stepped in as soon as Chan had opened his mouth for a potentially unfriendly retort. "How about you come over to my place instead, Soonyoung? And you too, Seokmin, we can make it a group night. I already bought all the ingredients and I'm also making the muffins you liked so much last time."

The Wielder waited for his reaction and Hoshi weighed up the pros and cons of the proposal. Bringing the group to his house would satisfy his Wielder but he wouldn't get anything out of it for now. And those muffins really were delicious. A happy grin lit up his face. "Sure thing, I'll wait for you at the front entrance!"

 

Hoshi hauled Jisoo's lifeless body into the room he had already prepared a few weeks prior.

Everything had worked out perfectly although the presence of Jongup earlier had made him slightly uncomfortable. He hated to change his plans. Fortunately the other had left after a while and Jisoo had continued working just like usual.

Hoshi felt a weird tremble in his chest at the sight of the Wielder's wounds. He had tried to be somewhat careful but Jisoo had been heavier than he had expected. After a glance at his watch, he quickly made his way into one of the many bathrooms and raided the medicine cabinet for disinfectant.

Once he had returned, he poured generous amounts on every scratch he could find until he was satisfied with his work. Eyeing the Wielder's pale complexion, he decided that getting some food into him probably wouldn't hurt either. But that had to wait.

Hoshi twirled the rope between his fingers before he got to work with a smile.

 

Hoshi grinned at the sight of the angry and confused faces in front of him. His heart was beating at a slow, steady rhythm and his ability was pulsing in his veins. He always enjoyed being in control.

"What the fuck! Why are you doing this?" Jihoon spat, the first to fully grasp the situation they were currently in, fruitlessly fighting to break free from the force pressing him against the wall.

The blond earnestly thought about the question before he shrugged, not quite sure how to answer. "Well, I was kinda bored, you know?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soonyoung has Conduct Disorder which later turns into Antisocial Personality Disorder. It's apparently quite hard to diagnose in children so I can't blame 'auntie' for not treating it correctly, especially since he is very intelligent and knows what to tell her and what to keep to himself. On the other hand, she's a pretty bad therapist in general, so I still partly blame her for how he turned out.
> 
> I just want to say that simply having very little or no empathy doesn't automatically make someone a bad person or causes them to commit crimes.
> 
> By the way, the reason why forcebonds don't work on Soonyoung is because he doesn't feel fear when he's getting threatened. He can only be persuaded with offers to accept a bond - which makes it a mutual contract.


	54. Devils' deals

"Okay! Let's go, folks!"

Jun stumbled against Wonwoo when Seokmin got pushed into his side.

"Fuck, at least give us some goddamn space, asshole!" Jihoon hit the air next to him, a dull sound ringing through the hallway when his fist met the force that caged them in. In response, the invisible walls came even closer and Chan whimpered fearfully when he couldn't move away from them any further, his back already pressed tightly against Minghao's chest.

Soonyoung was leaning against a cabinet filled with ugly figurines, amusement on his face at the sight of their anxious expressions. "You just gotta move if you don't want to get squished, you know? The living room is right over there, next to the stairs. Ah, have I already told you about the time I accidentally set fire to the rug? My Wielder wasn't happy but I still think it was for the best since he got a nicer one as replacement. At least the new one somewhat matches the colour of the curtains."

Ignoring his chatter, the group hesitantly moved towards the polished wooden door Soonyoung had pointed out, all of them sticking closely together. Jihoon had taken the lead, Seungcheol only centimetres behind him.

"What happened to Jisoo? Is he okay?" Chan dared to interrupt the blond Warrior's monologue, his voice trembling at the question. Soonyoung's catlike eyes focused on him and the Guardian immediately reached for Jeonghan's hand who, in turn, pulled him closer and moved in front of him.

"It's rude to interrupt your seniors; Jisoo should have taught you that much. But I guess he's kinda lax when it comes to stuff like that. Oh well. He's doing great; he's upstairs." All eyes immediately darted to the staircase, the blond Warrior watching them like a hawk. "My forcefields are blocking everything but the door in front of you. No need for any heroic deeds," he added nonchalantly and grinned when Minghao's and Hansol's shoulders slumped. "Oh, which reminds me..."

Jeonghan's stance grew more hostile the closer Soonyoung came. The other Forcebearers tensed as well, their expressions ranging from afraid to angry, but the blond seemed completely unfazed. He stopped in front of the duo and eyed Chan who was returning his gaze stubbornly. "I need you to be in front but you can bring your guard dog if you want."

"Excuse me?! What did you just call me, you little-" Jeonghan's words got interrupted when Mingyu and Minghao simultaneously jumped forward in an attempt to tackle the blond Warrior while Jun and Hansol used the distraction to make a dash for the nearest window, pulling Seokmin and Seungkwan along.

For a short moment, hope blossomed in the Forcebearers' chests - but then the same dull sound from before rang through the hallway several times and everyone got thrown against the wall for the second time that night. Even more china and figurines came crashing down. The blond Warrior stood in the middle of the chaos, completely unaffected, shards and splinters bouncing off the barricade around him.

Heavy silence filled the hallway until he broke it with an exasperated sigh. "Great, more stuff for me to clean up tomorrow. Urgh, and he's going to be so pissed; that was one of his favourite vases." Soonyoung ruffled his hair in frustration. "But seriously, guys, do you really think I'm stupid enough to not protect myself? And I just told you there are forcefields everywhere here. What's _wrong_ with you?" With another weary sigh, he rubbed his temples before he looked back up, a weak version of his usual smile on his face. "I'm pretty angry right now but I promised not to do anything rash. So if you could _finally_ move your freaking butts into the living room, like, now, that would be _ah-wesome_. And no more playing around - I can't guarantee Jisoo's safety otherwise." His smile had regained its usual brightness when he released them and the Forcebearers hastily stumbled down the hallway at the thinly veiled threat.

Chan was shaking when he reached for the door handle but the room he revealed was devoid of people, only a small fire crackled in an ornamented fireplace, almost hidden behind a massive leather sofa. He flinched when Soonyoung flicked on the lights and huddled even closer to Jeonghan who was scanning the room cautiously, one arm wrapped around the young Guardian. Seungcheol and Jihoon followed shortly after, the dedication on their faces proving that they were fully prepared to attack every potential threat.

The next one to enter was Seungkwan but as soon as he could make out the room, he stopped dead in his tracks, blocking the door. Everyone jumped at the sound of his voice. "No. Nononono. We can't be in here! Turn back! Get out!" He reached for Seungcheol and Chan but his fingers met resistance and he fruitlessly tried to claw his way through the forcefield, his round face several shades too pale.

"Come on, the wallpaper is a bit tacky but it's not thaaaat bad. But yeah, I've tried to get my Wielder to change it but he likes it that way unfortunately. He doesn't have the best taste in my opinion but don't tell him I said that." With a cheeky wink and wave of his hand, Soonyoung used his ability to push the remaining Forcebearers into the room before he closed the door behind them. Then he strode past the group and clapped his hands to get their attention. "Nice! Okay, now that we're all gathered, my Wielder-"

"Soonyoung, I had a dream- I mean, a vision! This room-"

"I said. My Wielder should be here-"

"Please, listen! It's super important! I-"

"Stop interru-"

"I'm sorry! But-"

Soonyoung's smile had turned noticeably colder the more Seungkwan had interrupted him but not even Minghao's persistent nudges or Jihoon's hissed orders could stop the Clairvoyant. Finally, the blond Warrior snapped. "Seungkwan. I'll crush you if you don't stop talking."

"But Jisoo-" The rest of the sentence got cut off by the sudden feeling of pressure against the Guardian's back. He tried to hold on to Minghao's shoulder to steady himself but was met with barricades barely an arm's length away. Wildly, he hit the air. "Hey, let me out!"

"Uh-uh. Actions and consequences. I've always wanted to know what it would look like if I just...."

Seungkwan yelped when he got pushed forward by the force behind him and struggled to keep his arms extended to stop the forcefields from advancing.

"Soonyoung, please stop! He'll be quiet now," Seungcheol pleaded, only to get ignored completely. Minghao's and Jihoon's attempts were less diplomatic but Soonyoung's ability once again prevented them from hitting the blond in the face.

"Oh god, he's going to to crush him. He's going to crush him!" Chan whispered frantically, his face already buried in Jeonghan's shoulder who was looking on in silent terror. Seokmin hurried to the Clairvoyant's side and desperately knocked against the barricade to get his attention. "Seungkwan! Stop! Don't extend your arms like that, your bones will-"

Everyone fell silent when multiple loud _cracks_ rang through the room followed by the Clairvoyant's anguished scream before they all started shouting frantically at the same time.

In the general panic, nobody but Soonyoung noticed that the door had opened and an impeccably dressed man had walked in. A hint of disappointment flashed over the Warrior's face. With a wave of his hand, Seungkwan dropped to the floor, curled up and crying. Minghao and Seokmin immediately kneeled next to him while the rest shielded them from the blond Warrior's sight, unaware of who had just entered the scene.

Soonyoung's face twitched in annoyance at the insults that were being hurled at him but he kept a tight grip on his anger. "Okay, playtime's over," he shouted over the noise. "Shut up or someone else will get hurt!" The threat helped and the Forcebearers resorted to glaring at him instead which didn't seem to bother him at all. "So, listen. To prove that I've studied my script diligently, I gotta introduce someone to you now. Ladies and gentlemen," he glanced at Jeonghan who shot him a very sour look, "introducing my Wielder: Lee Yohwan." The blond curtsied exaggeratedly, his expression bored, while the Forcebearers turned at once. All attention focused on the Wielder at the door who smiled in satisfaction.

Stunned silence filled the room, eyes flitting back and forth between the newcomer and Chan until the young Guardian spoke, unadulterated horror on his face. "Hyung?! Why- why are you here? What's going on?!"

"Did you miss me, my dearest little brother?" The man who looked almost exactly like an older version of Chan sneered before he turned towards Soonyoung. "I explicitly told you not to hurt them. Explain yourself."

The blond grinned at the stern tone, completely unconcerned. "Whoops, I guess I forgot for a second there. I didn't hurt your brother though so I think I did a pretty good job."

Annoyance flashed over Yohwan's face and his eyes narrowed but he didn't pursue the topic any further. "Whatever, let's get this over with. Go and get the Wielder." The Warrior didn't look pleased at the way he was spoken to but, instead of complaining, he just nodded and turned towards the door. "And keep the forcefields up."

Soonyoung's fists clenched for a long moment, his back muscles tensing, before he spun around and showed his Wielder a blinding smile. "But of course. Forcefields and Wielder - coming right up!"

"No, don't! Don't bring him here! He'll die!" Seungkwan screamed, tears still streaming down his face at the pain in his broken arms. The Forcebearers stared at him in horror but Soonyoung only snorted before he left.

 

Tension ran through Jisoo's body like electric currents. He had heard voices and screams shortly after Chan's brother had left the room and his overactive imagination didn't necessarily help him stay calm. Fortunately, the other Wielder had left the lights on, so at least he could see what was going on. He once again pulled at his restraints, grimacing in pain. His struggle ended as soon as the door got flung open abruptly. Fear coiled in his stomach when Soonyoung entered, a scowl darkening his face.

"'Go get him,' am I a dog or something? I'm not his freaking servant; who does he think he is?!" Jisoo flinched when the Warrior threw the door shut and looked up, his frown immediately turning into a smile. A shiver ran down the Wielder's spine at the sudden change. "Jisoo! How are you feeling? Everything okay? Oh boy, look at those bruises! Sorry about that, I hope you're not mad? Oh, right." Soonyoung leaned forward and ripped the tape off Jisoo's lips without a warning. The Wielder's eyes were watering in pain before he spat out the spit soaked fabric that had gagged him.

"What do you want?" His voice was raspy and he couldn't stop himself from coughing after hissing the words.

"Uh oh, they are going to kill me; you look like shit. Want some water?" Jisoo only stared him down instead of answering until the Warrior walked around him and once again rummaged behind his back. Cold fear immediately caused the Wielder's heart to beat even faster. "Sorry, that was rude. I'm not supposed to curse like that, I know. Here."

Jisoo recoiled when something poked his cheek until he made out a bottle of water with a straw next to his face. Although he didn't want to give Soonyoung any more opportunities to torture him, he was too thirsty to not accept. Hesitantly, he began to drink, fully expecting something terrible to happen. But unlike last time, the Warrior remained quiet and let him finish the bottle without any interruptions.

"Better?"

"Yes..." the Wielder answered cautiously, trying to catch what was going on behind him. When nothing else was said, he dared to ask a question. "Are the others h-here?"

"Yup, they came dutifully, just as expected. Almost as reliable as you; I guess they've learned from the best." Soonyoung sounded amused while a sick feeling swirled in the Wielder's stomach.

"A-are they okay?"

"Funny, they asked me the same thing. But hey, most of them are in better shape than you at least. Isn't that a relief?" Jisoo flinched when something touched the hair at the back of his head, shivers crawling down his spine once again. "Maybe I should've hit less hard. That was my first time deliberately knocking someone out so I wasn't all too sure how much force to use. But you don't seem all that damaged so that's good, I guess." The Warrior sounded light-hearted, as if he was talking about the weather, and Jisoo had to close his eyes for a few seconds at the anger that flared up in his chest.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he was currently at Soonyoung's mercy. "W-What's going to happen now?"

He stiffened when Soonyoung's arms once again wrapped around him from behind but the Warrior only rested his chin on Jisoo's shoulder. "I knew you'd be curious." The Wielder gritted his teeth when the blond chuckled much too close to his ear. "Well, Chan will get forcebonded later but Yohwan plans to make it some sort of fancy ceremony instead of just doing it quickly. He has a thing for stuff like that, you know? I'm not too sure what will happen to the rest though but maybe the same since they're high ranking? I just really hope I don't have to share the house with any of them, that would be so annoying."

Tears sprang to Jisoo's eyes at his words and he swallowed dryly to get rid of the lump in his throat. "I-is there no w-way to stop this?"

He could feel Soonyoung's arms tightening before the blond abruptly got up and stepped around the chair until Jisoo could see him fully. His face was unreadable and the Wielder's stomach plummeted at once.

"You know, I really like you. You're kind and you've always treated me well even though you're a Wielder. You even tried to keep me safe when you went on that rescue mission and even though I hate getting left out, the thought behind it was nice. You never tried to get anything in return for your kindness either; it really confused me in the beginning." Soonyoung's voice had adopted a cold and very calculated tone that Jisoo had never heard from him before but he had the feeling that, for the first time, he was getting a glimpse at the _real_ Soonyoung - and it terrified him that the other had suddenly decided to let his guard down in front of him. "But," Jisoo flinched at the sharpness of the word, "you don't have anything you could give me that would make me want to change plans. Yohwan's offer is too good to decline."

"What did he offer?" the Wielder asked meekly.

"He's going to find my parents. He'll bring them to me." Goosebumps rose on Jisoo's skin at the look in Soonyoung's eyes. "He has the money and the connections to find them and you have no idea how long I've been searching. But I have to help him out first."

"Jeonghan's parents are p-pretty influential too. If he would t-talk to them...." The Wielder hated that he had to involve more people but he was desperately trying to come up with a solution that didn't include Chan getting forced into a contract.

Soonyoung's lips curled slightly at his obvious attempt to sway him. "Nope, sorry. I signed an agreement before I got bonded and it explicitly states that I have to fulfil one demand before he begins searching. And Yohwan wants his brother." He shrugged. "It's an ego-thing, I guess."

Silence filled the small room for a few heartbeats.

"Just Chan, right? Not the others?"

Soonyoung's eyes glimmered in the harsh light before his lips pulled into a lopsided smirk very much unlike his usual bright grin. "I like the way you think, Soo. Well, I _could_ try to keep you and the guys safe - but it entirely depends on what you can give me in return."

Jisoo's frantic thoughts immediately went over everything he owned but he couldn't come up with anything that the other didn't already have. "W-what do you want?"

The blond Warrior remained quiet for a moment and Jisoo's skin began to crawl when catlike eyes ran up and down his bound body hungrily. "A contract," Soonyoung finally replied, "with you."

 

-

 

Silence pressed down on us, only broken by the crackling of firewood and Seungkwan's heavy breathing. Chan's brother had taken a seat in one of the arm chairs like the stereotypical rich villain he was. That pathetic loser was only missing a cat on his lap. I would've laughed at him if the situation wasn't so god damn tense.

I shared a look with Seokmin who looked almost as helpless as I felt. Without his ability, he couldn't do anything to ease Seungkwan's pain and it really took a toll on him. The Clairvoyant wasn't exactly my best friend - I was pretty sure we were the ones who butted heads the most in our little group - but he was still important to me. I patted his shoulder and noted the sheen of sweat on his pale skin. It worried me.

What he had said earlier had terrified us all but nobody seemed to know what to do to stop whatever was going to happen - and with Mister Ultimate-evil sitting in earshot, we had no way to actually discuss a plan. My urge to scream and throw stuff at him was almost overwhelming but I was too scared of what would happen to Jisoo if I did... Soonyoung had already proven that he was one crazy bastard and - even though I would never admit it - I was terrified of what he was actually capable of. Funny, considering how I had been one of the people who had gotten along the best with him. It probably had been his pretense of liking my tricks that had lured me in; I had always been a sucker for praise.

I looked around and my eyes fell on Chan, snuggled into Jeonghan's side. Poor guy. Seeing his brother again had been a shock, obviously; he was still shaking. I wasn't too sure what exactly had happened between the two of them but I knew it was the main reason why Jisoo had found him half-dead in the streets. Well, now I could understand why Chan had never actually tried to return to his family - if they were all this fucking crazy, I wouldn't want to live with them either. Actually kidnapping someone and sending some sort of deranged spy after his brother, what the hell. And here I had thought that my family was a bunch of assholes for pissing off without paying their debts. 

Yohwan hadn't told us yet what exactly was going on – he hadn't really acknowledged us at all, just told us to wait until Soonyoung returned - but seriously, what else could it be other than some fucked up plan for revenge? Based on how freaking smug he had looked when he had walked through the room earlier, he probably felt like the king of the world right now. If I still had my ability, I would tear him a new-

Movement caught my attention but it had only been Hansol who had taken Jun's hand. The gesture made me want to cry. I had always envied those almost familial bonds in our group. Even though they brought a lot of trouble, they also seemed to give a lot of comfort in times like this. But compared to how lonely I had often felt before getting in a contract with Jisoo, my situation had improved quite a lot, so I couldn't really complain. I had gotten especially close with Seokmin during the time where the rest had cancelled their contracts and of course I had some sort of bond with Jun since we were both Chinese.

Even though I tried to push the thought away, I once again asked myself what it would mean for us to lose Jisoo. He wasn't just our Wielder, he was our friend, our lover, the one who had connected us and who kept us together. Without him, wouldn't everything fall apart?

I hastily shook my head to get rid of the thought and Seungkwan groaned at the slight movement. I brushed back his bangs in apology, shrugging at the look of reproach Seokmin sent me.

Faint footsteps on the wooden stairs alerted us of Soonyoung's return and I turned to stare at the door. My heart sank immediately when Jisoo stepped into the room and I could hear someone sob at his sight. I understood why. I wanted to cry too.

Jisoo's whole body was badly scratched up and a wound somewhere in his hair had left streaks of dried blood all over the left side of his shirt. His usually silky hair was stringy and hid his face, and his formerly tidy clothes were torn and dirty. I couldn't see his hands but based on how he held them behind his back, I could only assume that they were tied together. At the sound of our voices, he lifted his head and my fear immediately turned into red hot fury when I saw the tape that sealed his lips and the relief in his eyes.

"You god damn son of a bitch!"

I wasn't surprised that it was Hansol who was the first to lose his composure and dashed towards Soonyoung - what surprised me was that we were all following suit even though we knew that it was ultimately pointless.

I hadn't even taken four steps before I ran face first into the forcefield but the pain felt oddly satisfying while I screamed my lungs out and punched every part of the barricade I could reach. At least we were doing _something_ \- and right now I didn't give a damn if we would get crushed to death for it afterwards.


	55. Rubies

Soonyoung and his Wielder looked on in silent amusement while the Forcebearers tried to find a way through the barricade. Jisoo had run forward as well and was pressing his shoulder against it. He was trying to stop the group from hurting themselves by shaking his head and sending them pleading looks but seeing him so close while being unable to touch him only made everything worse. With the exception of Seungkwan, who was watching from the floor, they were crowding in front of him. Most of them had tears streaming down their faces.

Jisoo's eyes widened when Chan's brother clapped to get their attention - but he was the only one paying the other Wielder any mind. When his attempts to get their attention didn't have the desired effect, Yohwan's eyebrows furrowed and he shot Soonyoung a look.

With a flick of the blond's wrist, Jisoo got pushed backwards and helplessly stumbled into his arms, tensing in fear at the contact. All movement immediately ceased.

"Don't fucking touch him!" Minghao hissed, his balled fists pressed against the forcefield. Seokmin nudged his side to stop him from provoking the blond Warrior any further - but his expression revealed that he shared the sentiment.

"Why? He might fall if I don't hold him," Soonyoung purred, an amused twinkle in his eyes. He wrapped his arms even tighter around Jisoo's waist and kissed his scratched up cheek while the Wielder struggled to move away from him. "I only want the best for him, you know?"

The Forcebearers' faces had contorted in rage but before they could cuss him out again, Yohwan interrupted his Warrior's taunts, still seated regally in his armchair. "That's enough. Bring him to me and go get the box, Soonyoung."

A look of confusion crossed the blond Warrior's features. "Why? What for?"

It was clear that the Wielder didn't like getting questioned by his subordinate in the way his brows furrowed. "For the contracts, obviously."

Soonyoung paused, his fingers toying with the collar of Jisoo's shirt. His tone had become noticeably colder when he answered, "You said I could have him. Are you going back on your word?"

Even through the tape, the appalled expression on Jisoo's face was visible.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jihoon exploded before Chan's brother even had the chance to answer. "Jisoo is not some god damn pet!"

Soonyoung silenced him with a single withering look, his fingers moving dangerously close to Jisoo's already bruised throat.

Exasperated, Yohwan rolled his eyes, ignoring the outburst. "Of course not but I need him for the bonding first. And now stop asking stupid questions; you're giving me a headache. Just do what you're getting paid for."

The blond Warrior still looked distrustful. After a few long seconds of standstill, Chan's brother was visibly fed up. A deep scowl on his face, he stalked forward until he had reached Soonyoung and ripped Jisoo out of his arms. He glowered at the Forcebearers who had immediately begun shouting again before he pulled the Wielder forcibly towards the massive wooden table in the back of the room.

Without looking back, he spoke over the ruckus. "Go and get the box, Soonyoung. I'm not going to repeat myself." This time the Warrior openly glared at Yohwan's back, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Turning around when Soonyoung failed to answer, the Wielder raised an eyebrow. "Don't forget the agreement we signed. You want to find your parents, right?"

Something seemed to settle in the Warrior and the anger vanished from his face in an instant. Only emptiness remained. Desperately, Jisoo tried to make eye contact but Soonyoung wasn't looking in his direction. Instead he nodded wordlessly and turned towards the door.

"And don't just leave like that. I need them restrained." The tone Yohwan had used couldn't have been more condescending and Soonyoung's nails dug into his palms before he complied without looking back.

Seungkwan's pained scream shrilled through the room when a forcefield pressed him against the floor while every Forcebearer but Chan hit the wall for the third time this night, a few paintings tumbling to the floor at the impact. The door fell shut behind the blond Warrior only seconds after. The young Guardian was left standing alone across the room from Jisoo and his brother.

Yohwan relaxed as soon as Soonyoung was gone. "Oh, finally. Sometimes I ask myself why I even bother with someone like him but sadly he's pretty good at what he's doing. And he's higher ranking than Eunha's Warriors."

"You bonded with that psycho because you want to outdo noona?!" Chan's eyes had grown wide at his words and he took a daring step forward - but stopped as soon as Yohwan's grip on Jisoo tightened. He shot his Wielder an anxious look. For the sake of the younger, Jisoo immediately tried to not look as horrified as he actually felt.

"Well, she doesn't know yet. It's always good to have some trump cards, obviously, but yeah. And father recently announced that he's not sure who's going to inherit the company so I need all the advantages I can get."

A frown marred the Guardian's forehead, worry clear on his face. "Why is he thinking about stuff like that all of the sudden? Is he sick?"

"He hasn't been doing all that well ever since you moved out." Jeonghan snorted loudly at his choice of words but Yohwan ignored it, his triumphant smile widening. "Guess it's hard to bear - having a failure for a son."

Chan's face immediately fell at his words but before any of the Forcebearers could jump to his defence, Yohwan suddenly shouted in pain. Jisoo staggered backwards when Yohwan's fist hit him but even the tape couldn't hide the disgust on his face while Chan's brother checked his shin for any potential injuries. Hoots and cheers had erupted from Hansol, Minghao and Mingyu while the rest looked even more worried and once again attempted to break through the forcefield.

Red splotches were crawling up Yohwan's neck when he raised his head, his jaw clenched in anger. "Those pants are worth more than your sad little life, you god damn beggar!" With those words, he reached for Jisoo. The Wielder took a wary step back but bumped into the heavy dinner table behind him, eyes trained on the approaching male.

"Leave him alone, hyung!" A dull sound rang through the room when Chan collided with the forcefield that separated him from his brother. "He didn't do anything to you!"

"He took you in, didn't he? He gave you a place to stay, otherwise you would've come crawling back eventually. He made a contract with you while _I_ couldn't. I won't let a fucking second class Wielder be more powerful than _I_ am - especially not by taking away _my_ Forcebearer!" Yohwan's expression had distorted in rage and Chan stared at him, utter disbelief written on his face.

Hansol finally stated what everyone was thinking, "You need to get help, man. You're sick, seriously."

"Shut up! Nobody is telling me what to do, least of all a Forcebearer," Chan's brother spat before he turned back to Jisoo, a predatory look on his face. "But once we're done here, you won't be a problem anymore."

Everyone screamed in unison when Yohwan lunged at Jisoo and the Wielder, unable to break the fall with his bound hands, hit the table with the already injured back of his head and crumbled to the floor.

"No! Leave him alone! Hyung, please! I'll do whatever you want!" Tears streaming down his cheeks, Chan hammered at the forcefield with all his might while the Forcebearers fought fruitlessly behind him.

Yohwan grinned while he struggled to lug Jisoo's limp body onto the table. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear." He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "God, where is that useless Warrior when you need him? Anyway, yes, I accept your offer but I need to finish this first." With one last effort, he finally managed to push Jisoo onto the polished wooden surface. Frowning at the newly acquired creases and a small spot of blood on his formerly pristine shirt, he walked around the table and pulled a heavily ornamented wooden chest from beneath one of the chairs. Once he had carefully set it on the table, he turned back to the group across the room.

Chan had paled even further after recognizing the box, already trying once again to find a way around the forcefield. Behind him, Jeonghan looked just as anxious at the sight of the chest. "I thought grandmother is keeping the dagger?! And didn't you tell Soonyoung to get it for you?"

Pulling out a small key from one of his pockets, Yohwan answered without looking up, fully immersed in unlocking the box. "You really thought I'd trust a _Forcebearer_ with that?" He said it as if the word alone was leaving a repulsive aftertaste in his mouth. "Shouldn't you know me better, Chan? No. _This_ is only for Wielders to handle." A look of admiration flashed over his face when he carefully pulled out a beautiful but deadly looking dagger, ornamented with delicate golden roses and small rubies, shimmering like droplets of blood in the light. It made even Jeonghan's family dagger look like a butter knife in comparison. "I just needed a reason for Soonyoung to leave and now I have all the time in the world to get rid of his little friend here. Don't think I didn't notice how attached he's gotten." Yohwan glared at Jisoo's still form and the Forcebearers shared panicked glances. "Ridiculous. I picked him because he's supposed to be a lone wolf, not to follow another god damn Wielder around. He's just as useless as all the other Forcebearers." He stepped closer to the unconscious body, purposefully placing himself behind the table so that the Forcebearers could see their former Wielder, ignoring their pleas and threats. "At first I didn't plan to get rid of him but based on how disgustingly smitten all of you are, I think he'd be a threat if I would let him live."

 

-

 

The deep red haze that had drowned me was slowly dissipating. Voices reached my ears like static from a poorly tuned radio. I couldn't comprehend what was going on - the pain was too strong. I tried to move but I couldn't - something was pressing me down. I opened my eyes and the only thing I saw was a ceiling, way too high and way too ornamented for my taste. It moved in and out of focus, wavering slightly. The voices that mixed in the air were familiar but I still couldn't make out exact words. There were too many at once. It was overwhelming.

Dread coiled in my stomach. I had experienced this before. Never as vivid, never as painful and never as terrifying.

I tried to look around and was able to tilt my head back slightly. Upside down, I could make out a fancy room and some of my friends in similar situations to mine, struggling to break free from the force that bound them.

Slowly, my muddled brain adapted and my memories returned. I knew where I was and I knew what had happened. I also knew what would happen next. The terror that grew rapidly in my chest strangled me and stopped my voice from escaping. If I was correct, Chan would-

"No, please stop, please, don't hurt him!"

I closed my eyes again. Just like in my vision, I didn't want to look. This was not a reality I wanted to accept. There needed to be something we could do to change fate. Something, anything. _Please_.

And still, I forced myself to tilt my head even further, the muscles in my neck straining against the force that held me back. My broken arms were protesting against the movement; the red haze crept back into my line of sight. I didn't want to see what was going to come - but I had to. I needed to confirm that this was really happening.

I caught a glimpse at Jeonghan's desperate face, at the horror in Seokmin's eyes and the tears on Seungcheol's cheeks. Even Wonwoo was pale and wide eyed. I saw Chan desperately pounding against the forcefield, blood running over his busted knuckles, but I couldn't hear anything. The static had returned and my vision grew blurry once again from the strain on my body.

I couldn't give up now. I had failed them all already, I couldn't just pass out now like the useless piece of trash I was. It had been my task to look out for trouble but I had ignored it while it laughed in my face, thinking we were safe after getting rid of Jiyong. I should've known better. It was all my fault.

I took a deep breath and turned my head even further and finally, out of the corner of my eyes, I could make out Jisoo on the massive dining table. Behind him stood Chan's brother, holding the ornamented dagger that would end my Wielder's life.

Yohwan lifted the dagger and all sounds seemed to rush back at once, the desperate screams of my friends ringing in my ears.

I forced myself to look, to not avert my eyes, so I could carry this burden with me until the day I died. A constant reminder of how I had failed. My heart was ripping itself apart in my chest and it hurt so much more than my broken bones.

Everything seemed to head toward Jisoo's death, the noise, the movement - but Yohwan prolonged the act, visibly enjoying our agony. He played with us like a cat with its prey.

And then the loud _crash_ of the door hitting the wall broke my attention.

"What are you doing?"

I didn't have to look to recognize Soonyoung's voice but I had never heard it sound that cold before.

It was scary that he was able to interrupt my vision like this but I wasn't really surprised after everything that had happened tonight. So far, I had only seen him once in a vision, in the very beginning when he had started attending university. Of course I had assumed that he was just like the others and had told Jisoo about him. But he wasn't. He was unpredictable and not even fate seemed to know what he was capable of.

Yohwan grinned at the sudden appearance of his Warrior. "Nice of you to join; we're just getting started."

"Do something, Soonyoung! He's going to kill him, god fucking damn it!" Minghao's voice cracked at the end of the sentence. The desperation in his voice crushed my already broken heart even further.

"Are you really this uneducated? I know that most of you are lower class but Jesus, I didn't expect it to be this bad." Yohwan's smile had turned patronizing and I felt hatred run through me like lava. His whole being was revolting; I couldn't understand how Chan had endured eighteen years with him. "He can't just 'do something'. Everything he does or deliberately allows to happen to me will fall back on him. That's how a contract works, you moron. Right, Soonyoung?"

For a moment, there was no answer but then the blond Warrior spoke tonelessly, "You gave me your word."

The Wielder raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. "Well, I lied. Tough luck. I don't do deals with Forcebearers; who do you think you are?"

At his words, I actually felt a twinge of sympathy for Soonyoung and I could make out the same emotion in the faces of the few other Forcebearers I could see. I hastily reminded myself that he was the one who had kidnapped Jisoo and had almost killed me earlier.

"What about my parents?"

Yohwan threw his hands in the air, a deep scowl on his face. "Oh my god, just stop! My parents this, my parents that! Do you have any idea how fucking annoying you are? I thought you were a top class Warrior when I hired you but you're just a god damn mommy's boy! Your parents are dead, Soonyoung, dead! They died freaking years ago, pitiful in a ditch like the drugged out junkie scum they were, right after throwing their abomination of a son at the hard-working society."

I felt my blood run cold at his words and I couldn't help but turn my head to finally look at the blond Warrior. All of the sudden, the pressure that had held me down was gone and I had to suppress a shout when pain flared up in my arms at the sudden shift.

Soonyoung stood in the door frame, his teeth bared in a grotesque version of his usual bright grin, a dangerous glimmer in his cold eyes.

"What do you mean, 'they are _dead_ '?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to upload the first long(ish) fic I've ever written. It's not as well thought out as The Others but I think it might still be a fun read if you're into figuring things out. I'll update it weekly since I need to rewrite the chapters first.
> 
> Check out [Rise and Shine!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18804373/chapters/44617420)  :)


	56. Mayhem

"Didn't you hear what I just said? Or are you just too dense to understand?" Yohwan nonchalantly rolled the dagger between his fingers, the tip still pointing at Jisoo's chest.

A muscle twitched in Soonyoung's yaw and his eyes narrowed while the Forcebearers looked on with bated breaths. Chan shuffled aside nervously when the blond Warrior stepped through the door, gaze fixed on his Wielder. Soonyoung's body tensed when he moved into the middle of the room but Yohwan didn't seem to feel particularly threatened. "What now? Are you angry? Come on, what did you expect, seriously. Did you really think I'd let you make the rules? Don't make me laugh."

"I'll kill you."

For a split second, Chan's brother looked baffled before his face flushed in anger. "How _dare_ you! A Forcebearer-"

Seungkwan's pained scream resonated in the room when every single piece of furniture crashed against the walls at once and the Forcebearers felt pressure build until their bones threatened to give out – only for the shrill sound to break off abruptly as soon as the pressure dissipated. The forcefields that had held them in place were gone and they dropped to the floor, into the debris of Yohwan's expensive possessions. Seokmin immediately crawled to Seunkwan's limp body to check his pulse.

Soonyoung was standing in the middle of the now empty area and held his stomach while Yohwan tried to free himself from the dining table that was pinning him against the wall. The dagger had hit the table next to Jisoo's arm.

"Shit, you little-" Chan's brother tried once again to push the table away but it remained firmly in place, held by forcefields. "Stop making things difficult!" Movement from Minghao in his periphery caught his attention and he froze. "What the hell! Soonyoung, contain them!"

The Warrior didn't even pretend to obey. "Or what?" he asked, a predatory smile curling his lips.

Yohwan glared at the Forcebearers, who were getting up with the exception of Seokmin and Seungkwan, a few already closing in on him, before he snatched the dagger, his knuckles turning white at the tightness of his grip. "Stay back, all of you!"

Mingyu and Hansol shared glances while the rest of the group glowered at the Wielder - but the threat to Jisoo's life was enough to make them stop, only a few meters separating them from their target.

Unlike the rest of the Forcebearers, Soonyoung didn't seem bothered by the knife that hovered over Jisoo's body. One eyebrow raised, he scratched his neck with an exaggerated gesture and Yohwan flinched at his movement. The Warrior noticeably enjoyed the sight, the smile on his lips turning wider.

Hansol moved a bit closer to Jihoon who squeezed his side to calm him, dark eyes fixated on Jisoo's pale face. Seokmin had stopped tending to Seungkwan and had turned to watch. Tension filled the air.

"Stop it, Soonyoung! I mean it!" Yohwan once again waved the dagger, its tip almost touching the torn and dirty shirt of the unconscious Wielder. His movements had become more erratic as time had passed. "I'll kill him if you move!"

"Do you really think I care?"

Chan's eyes widened at the blond's words. Seungcheol had to forcibly stop him from trying to reach the Wielder and making the situation even worse.

Soonyoung smirked. Catlike eyes directed at his prey, he took a single, deliberate step forward.

The blade plunged into Jisoo's stomach with a sickening sound.

The group froze.

"Don't fucking test me, Soonyoung," Yohwan hissed, pulling out the dagger. Blood started oozing immediately, spreading over the desk's surface, dripping onto the carpet. The Forcebearers' faces paled even further at that sight, shock sitting too deep for them to process the situation properly. Tears began to gather in Chan's unblinking eyes and Jeonghan whimpered quietly.

At the sight of blood, Soonyoung's smirk had turned into a wide, derisive grin. "Idiot."

Yohwan screamed in surprise when the table got pushed away from him, towards the still motionless Forcebearers, and he stood eye in eye with his Warrior.  
"You- you can't hurt me!" His voice had lost its earlier confident tone.

"But I'll try anyway" the blond purred and the blood drained out of Yohwan's cheeks. Chan's brother took a tentative step to the side, back pressed against the wall. "And even if I can't - maybe they can." Soonyoung nodded towards the group who had crowded around the table, reaching for Jisoo.

At his words, the Forcebearers looked up, hatred burning on their faces.

Minghao and Hansol were the first to leave the Wielder's side. Chan's brother scooted towards the corner of the room when the other Warriors followed while Seokmin and Chan frantically tried to stop the bleeding. Wonwoo was busying himself with the tape on Jisoo's face, attempting to remove it without hurting him any further.

"I'll get you for this, asshole," Jun snarled. "You'll fucking pay!"

The Warriors lunged at Yohwan, their expressions distorted in rage. He cowered, cornered with no way to escape, not much left of the man who had laughed at their tears.

Soonyoung stood back and watched when Jihoon landed the first hit on Yohwan's face. The blond didn't flinch when a cut opened up on his lip and blood began to drip down his chin while the Wielder tried to hide behind his arms. Hansol's and Mingyu's kicks made Yohwan and the blond Warrior stumble and annoyance darkened Soonyoung's face at the futility of their attacks. A gash opened up on his arm, tainting his shirt, when Jeonghan attacked the Wielder with a ragged shard of china.

Keeping an eye on the Warriors, the blond sauntered to the table and came to a halt next to Wonwoo. The Guardian had finished freeing Jisoo from his restraints and was staring blankly at the blood stains on his hands.

"Wonwoo."

He jumped at the sound of Soonyoung's gentle voice. Ripped out of his thoughts, he looked up. His eyes widened for a split second at the injuries on Soonyoung's face.

"I need your help, please Wonwoo. Please don't leave me stuck in a contract with him." The Warrior grimaced in pain and Wonwoo tensed when a new cut opened up beneath Soonyoung's eye. "You know how if feels to be bonded to someone you hate, right?"

Eyeing the blond for a long moment, Wonwoo finally nodded once.

"Please help me out? I know I did something terrible but I just wanted to see my parents again... I miss them so much..."

A tear ran down Soonyoung's cheek and Wonwoo's stoic face softened slightly. His eyes flitted to Mingyu before they focused back on the beat up Warrior next to him. "I'll help you. Once Jisoo is okay," he said after another moment of hesitation.

A relieved smile pulled at the corners of Soonyoung's mouth, the cut at his lip opening once again. "Thank you so much!"

While Wonwoo turned his attention back to Seokmin and his futile attempts to stop the bleeding, Soonyoung's bright smile twisted into a sneer at the sight of Chan's brother. The Warrior's were still attacking but as soon as their fists connected, the wounds transferred immediately.

"Hands off."

Forcefields blocked Seungcheol's and Jun's strikes and the Warriors stumbled back a few feet at the sudden impact.

Yohwan lowered his arms, shaking slightly but otherwise unharmed, a smirk already back on his face. "Heh, looking good, Soonyoung. I told you it's useless. You finally came to your fucking sens-" He had tried to take a step forward but had collided with the barrier mid-sentence. "What the- let me out!"

"I don't think so."

Yohwan stared at him for a few seconds, the Warriors looking on as well, before the Wielder started cussing. "Let me out! Soonyoung! Don't you fucking dare!"

"We'll see." A truly malicious grin lit up Soonyoung's face. Seungcheol took a wary step back at the sight, pulling Hansol along with him. The blond turned to the other Warriors, not at all bothered by the distrust and fear on their faces. "I'll keep an eye on him. You should probably check on Jisoo; he looked a bit unhealthy."

 

"Do something, Seokmin!" Chan was openly crying by now, tears dripping onto the table, mixing with Jisoo's blood.

The Healer was almost as pale as the Wielder, his shaking hands still pressed onto the stab wound. "I can't, I need my ability! Fuck, he's not breathing! CPR, hurry!"

Wonwoo immediately got to work.

"Bond with him! There's enough fucking blood!"

Seokmin looked up when the Warriors gathered around the table, a deep frown on his face while he glared at Jihoon. "The Wielder needs to initiate!"

Minghao pulled at his red strands until Jeonghan took his hand. "Just give it a damn try! It can't get any worse anyway!"

"And his way of forming contracts was never conventional anyway," Seungcheol added, one arm tightly wrapped around Hansol's shaking shoulders.

"What if it fails?" Chan's voice was almost inaudible and Mingyu immediately ruffled his hair.

"Let's be positive, Channie, alright?"

Seokmin heaved a weary sigh before he swiped his fingers over a cut on his forehead. Once he had gathered some blood on his fingertips, he carefully rubbed them over Jisoo's stab wound while everyone watched on, anxiety filling the air.

 

Darkness was embracing Jisoo like a soft blanket, warm and comforting. He floated weightlessly and without a care through the void; neither his breathing nor his heartbeat were disturbing the absolute silence. Peace filled him as well as the knowledge that he was safe. He couldn't remember what had been, nor could he remember who he was - but he was content with it. Something new lay up ahead, waiting for him, and he would face the challenge.

A pristine light became visible in the distance, quite far off but not unreachable. It drew him in and for the first time he tried to move. Where Jisoo's body should have been was only darkness, but the wish to reach the light was enough to pull him forward.

It grew bigger the more he longed for it, bright and soothing. Soon it began to drown out the darkness.

He knew that he had almost succeeded.

 

"It's not working! Oh my God, what do we do?!" Jeonghan sounded hysterical while Mingyu was pumping Jisoo's unmoving chest. The tall Warrior had replaced Wonwoo, once the Guardian's arms had grown tired. They had all relaxed slightly when Jisoo had begun to breathe on his own again - only to panic when his heart had stopped beating not a minute after.

"Nononothiscantbehappeningthisisimpossiblethisisnotrealwecant-"

"Shut up!" Seokmin's sharp words cut off Hansol's incoherent rambling. "You're not helping."

"Let me try. Maybe I can influence the bond somehow." Wonwoo stepped next to the Healer, gently pushing Chan aside who was almost as white and motionless as Jisoo. The stoic Guardian still looked calm, his face emotionless, but his fingers were trembling ever so slightly when he ran them across a shallow gash on his leg before he touched Jisoo's wound. "And don't stop, Min."

"Okay," Seokmin and Mingyu replied simultaneously before sharing a short glance. Wonwoo ignored them and hurriedly they concentrated back on the task at hand.

 

Something was holding him back. Behind Jisoo, in the darkness, another light had flickered into existence. It was much smaller, weaker, like the flame of a candle - but it brought an onslaught of emotions that pulled at him.

Jisoo stopped, confused. He wanted to go into the light, everything in him longed to move on - but the small light behind him filled his longing with doubts.

He looked back and allowed himself to embrace the emotions. Unlike the bright light that seemed to promise happiness and safety, this one was filled with fear, anger and pain - but buried beneath all those negative feelings, there was love. And this love drew him in, intriguing and irresistible. Something about those emotions felt familiar but he couldn't pinpoint why.

Jisoo hovered for a moment, stuck between life and death, before he made his final decision.

 

Everyone stared, hoping, praying for something to happen while Mingyu relentlessly compressed Jisoo's chest, and Seokmin and Wonwoo held the Wielder's hands.

"Yes!" Everyone jumped at Wonwoo's sudden outburst. His gaze was directed at Jisoo's chest, focused on something only he could see, before he frowned and reached out to slap Mingyu's arm. "Don't stop; it's working."

Everyone crowded even closer, searching the Wielder's face for a sign of life.

"I feel it," Seokmin suddenly gasped, his eyes widening.

"It's closing! The wound is closing! Oh thank god!"

Hansol recoiled at the volume of Seungcheol's voice next to his ear, but he was too busy staring to complain. "Is he breathing?"

Mingyu stopped once again to check and a wide, relieved smile immediately lit up his face. "Yes!"

"Thank fucking god." All anger had left Jihoon's body. Weakly, he leaned against Jun who giddily hugged him.

"Is your ability working?" Jeonghan asked Seokmin but it was Wonwoo who answered.

"The bond is not fully formed yet." He eyed the unconscious Wielder. "Maybe he's too weak for two contracts at once?"

For the first time since Jisoo had stopped breathing, Chan spoke. "Is it because you used the same wound?"

"Could be. Minghao, check if his head is still bleeding."

"Careful, dumbass! Are you trying to break his neck?!"

The redhead flinched at the painful sting of Jihoon's fist meeting his shoulder, but he ignored it for the sake of the Wielder. "Hard to tell but I think it is."

"Okay. Seokmin, use that one instead."

The Healer frowned when he stepped next to Minghao, flinching when his fingers came in contact with the wound at the back of the Wielder's head. "It's bad. I really hope his brain is okay."

"Please don't say stuff like that; I feel horrible enough already," Jeonghan begged and Seokmin shot him an apologetic look before he closed his eyes.

Everyone's attention was focused on Jisoo's face and for a minute that felt like an eternity nothing happened. Then an audible gasp went through the group when the cuts and bruises suddenly vanished from his skin.

"It's back." Seokmin looked like he was about to cry out of pure relief.

"Is he okay now? Did you heal him?" Seungcheol asked and the Guardian nodded slowly until Chan engulfed him in a tight hug, tears soaking the front Seokmin's shirt.

Worry still evident on his face, Mingyu carefully ran his fingers over the Wielder's cheek. "Then why is he not waking up?"

Seokmin shook his head to get rid of the daze, his demeanour getting more professional once he had calmed down slightly. "He's lost a lot of blood; he might need a while to recover. Keep an eye on him while I take care of Seungkwan, alright?"

The Healer had just kneeled down next to the still knocked out Clairvoyant when Jeonghan's excited scream made him jump up again. "He's waking up!"

Jun's and Hansol's heads collided painfully when they leaned forward at the same time to greet the Wielder, and a small scuffle occurred between Minghao and Mingyu while they both tried to get a good look.

Jisoo's face was still pale but his eyes were open, his gaze warm at the sight of his Forcebearers. He tried to speak but could only produce a quiet groan. Clearing his throat, he tried again and this time his voice was audible, although a bit shaky. "What happened?"

Hansol immediately launched into a detailed report of the events of the night while Chan clung to the Wielder's hand, looking like he would never let go again. Somewhat reassured, Seokmin returned to Seungkwan's side, followed by Minghao.

Wonwoo took a step back to give Jeonghan and Seungcheol the chance to fuss over Jisoo. Once again he felt out of place in the close-knit group but simply watching them already made him feel oddly content. Lost deep in his thoughts, Soonyoung's voice made him jump for the second time that night after the blond had approached soundlessly. "Can you do it now? Please?"

With his heart still beating wildly, Wonwoo turned around to find the Warrior watching him. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Don't you want to leave first?"

"Now is perfect."

"He'll escape once you're unbonded."

"He won't. Trust me."

A shiver ran down the Guardian's spine and he glanced at Chan's brother who was still trying to break through the barriers. His gaze returned to Soonyoung and the thin, reddish thread that connected him to Yohwan. He turned to look at Jisoo who was slowly sitting up with the help of his Forcebearers, Mingyu offering to carry him on his back. Seungkwan was already safely draped over Minghao's shoulders, his head lolling from side to side at the movement.

They would have to be quick. Wonwoo could vividly imagine what Soonyoung would do to Yohwan once his restraints were gone - and he wanted to spare the others the haunting experience. But the Wielder had it coming. He _deserved_ it, didn't he? The Guardian wouldn't shed a single tear for either of them if they would finish each other off.

After a few futile complaints, Jisoo had finally climbed onto Mingyu's back and Wonwoo decided that the time had come. He turned back to Soonyoung and smiled. "Alright."

The Warrior returned his smile, just as fake, just as cold, when Wonwoo reached out to touch his hand.

It only took a slight nudge for the crimson contract to shatter. Soonyoung's smile brightened before his predatory gaze focused on Yohwan who had stumbled to the ground at the sudden lack of resistance.

For a moment, Wonwoo wondered when Soonyoung had picked up the dagger but then he decided that, ultimately, it didn't matter. He tapped Seungcheol's shoulder and nodded towards the blond Warrior and his former Wielder. "Let's go. And call the police if you haven't already."

Seungcheol took a moment to process the situation but then he blanched before he grabbed Jihoon's and Chan's wrists and pulled them towards the door. "Let's go! Hurry!"

"What happened, Cheo-" Jisoo stopped when the first scream cut through the air. Worried, he tried to turn around but Jun shook his head and after a glimpse at his tense expression, the Wielder heeded his advice. Minghao and Mingyu shared a look before they adjusted their grips on Jisoo and Seungkwan - and then they ran, Chan covering his ears to drown out the horrified pleas of his brother.

 


	57. The End

"Mingyu, stop."

The tall Warrior ignored the soft voice next to his ear, almost drowned out by his heavy footsteps on the thick carpet, until slender fingers began to lightly pull at his hair.

"Mingyu!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No, Jisoo."

"He's going to kill him!"

With an audible sigh, the Warrior adjusted his grip on Jisoo's thighs before he replied, "Let the crazy bastards do their thing. We're not getting involved any more than we already are."

"It will ruin Soonyoung's life and we're talking about Chan's brother here." The Wielder tugged at his hair again and Mingyu finally stopped walking.

Chan's tired voice from behind made them both jump. "I don't really mind, hyung..."

When Jisoo tried to argue further, Mingyu's patience ran out. "His life is ruined anyway; he kidnapped you, for fuck's sake!"

"Stop being such a god damn saint and start caring about your safety." Jihoon had listened in as well. The rest of the group had noticed the argument and came to a stop next to them, exasperation already clear on their faces.

"He's not trying to go back, is he?" Hansol asked and Jihoon shrugged.

"Of course he is."

"I've already called the police, sweetheart. They'll take care of it and everyone will be safe," Jeonghan piped up and the Wielder frowned at the obvious attempt to placate him.

He let go of Mingyu's shoulders and almost toppled to the floor, only Seungcheol's quick reflexes stopped him. The tall Warrior quickly set him down. Back on his own two feet, Jisoo leaned against the wall, his legs still somewhat unstable after everything he had been through - but his voice held determination when he declared, "I'm going back. I promised Soonyoung I would take care of him."

The Forcebearers gawked at him. "You did _what_?" Jihoon finally asked, rage barely contained in his voice. "Are you _insane_?!"

At his disbelieving questions, Jisoo looked sheepish and ducked his head to avoid the accusing stares. "H-he said he'd get you o-out in return."

"And he broke his promise so you have absolutely no obligation to keep yours." Seungcheol's tone was final and the Wielder puffed up his cheeks.

Seokmin poked them, a warm smile blooming on his face at the sight of Jisoo's defeated expression. "Don't feel bad, Soo. He doesn't deserve your kindness."

The rest nodded while Chan took his hand. "And Yohwan deserves what he's getting."

"Don't say that, he's still your brother!" the Wielder immediately scolded but his grip tightened around Chan's fingers nonetheless.

"I wish he wasn't."

Jisoo remained quiet at his bitter words and Jeonghan ruffled Chan's hair, pity in his eyes.

"Can someone take Seungkwan? He's heavy." Minghao broke the tense silence.

"He'd hit you if he could hear you," Jun said and the Warrior managed a grin at his words.

Hansol stepped forward. "I'll take him. I'm stronger anyway."

"As if," the redhead mumbled but still looked relieved when the weight of the Clairvoyant left his back. He stretched before he clapped once. "Okay, let's get outta here." The other Forcebearers nodded.

"Want me to carry you again?" Mingyu asked but the Wielder shook his head.

"It's alright, thanks." He reached for Minghao. "I'll just prop myself up a little if that's okay?"

"Uh, sure." A blush tinted the redhead's cheeks while he wrapped an arm around Jisoo's waist.

"Let's go then. Try to hurry a bit, I wanna be out of here before the police arrives," Seungcheol said and everyone started walking again.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?" Minghao asked not long after, concerned about how far they were lagging behind, but the Wielder shook his head once again.

"If I'd ask you to help me, would you do it?"

Surprised, the Warrior stumbled slightly at the question. After he had found his balance, he examined Jisoo who was decidedly avoiding his eyes. "That's why you wanted to walk with me? To convince me to help that psycho?"

"I'm not asking you to help him; I'm asking you to help me."

Minghao looked disgruntled at his words but after a few seconds of silence, he heaved a low sigh. "Fuck. What do you want me to do?" Jisoo smiled brightly and the Warrior rolled his eyes before he leaned in and kissed the Wielder's cheek. "It's kinda scary how whipped I am," he mumbled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Blushing slightly, Jisoo got to the point. "If we bond, you can stop them from following me, right?"

"I guess... But they're going to beat my ass afterwards."

"We'll just say I forced you to do it."

"Yeah, like that's believable," Minghao grumbled, a deep frown on his face. "I don't get it. Why do you want to help him? He betrayed us and he's the main reason you almost died. I don't want you to even be in the same city as him, let alone in the same room."

"I know and he actually really scares me." Jisoo looked down for a long moment. Minghao itched to ask what had happened between them but then the Wielder kept talking. "I can't help but feel bad for him though. I want him to get help, not to make everything even worse."

"Well, he doesn't seem to be a fan of Wielders, judging by how he's currently killing one. How do you know he's not going to come after you after finishing off Yohwan?" Minghao still sounded sceptical.

"I don't." The redhead looked even less convinced after that answer. "But I think he wants something from me, so he probably won't hurt me."

"I don't like the 'probably' part."

Jisoo grinned weakly. "Me neither. Are you in?"

Minghao glanced at the rest of the group who had almost reached the window they had first used to get in. When he turned back to the Wielder, his expression was grim. "I'll wait in front of the door and block it. If _anything_ seems even remotely fishy, you scream immediately, got it? I don't care if I have to fling Soonyoung through the roof; if he touches you, he's dead."

Jisoo tried to hide a smile at the threat in his voice and decided to divert his attention. "Alright, I promise. How do we bond?"

Minghao eyed him for a few seconds before he shook his head with a grimace and reached into his pocket, producing a safety pin. After poking his finger, he held the pin out for the Wielder. "Just so you know: I'm mad at you for even having this incredibly stupid idea."

Jisoo flinched when the pin drew blood but his smile persisted. "I'll make it up to you. Thank you, Minghao."

They pressed their fingers together. "You better come back alive and give me something real good then."

 

"Minghao, I swear to god I'm going to rip your fucking head off if you don't let us in. Right. Now." Jihoon once again tried to pry open the door to the living room but it didn't budge an inch and he slammed his fist against the wall in anger. "You're so dead!"

Seungcheol prevented his brother from physically assaulting the pale redhead and Minghao relaxed a little, seeing the fuming Warrior restrained.

"He's going to kill him! Stop being a freaking idiot!" Jun pulled at the doorknob but gave up when it didn't move. He continued mumbling curses in Chinese when he returned to Seungcheol's side.

"I promised I'd keep it closed until he either screams or comes out..."

Throwing up his hands in distress, Jeonghan restlessly walked back and forth in front of the door, passing by Seokmin and Hansol, who was still carrying Seungkwan on his back. "Oh my god, do you even hear yourself talk?!" he snapped. "'Until he screams', it's gonna be too late then!"

"We really need to get inside, Minghao. It's dangerous," Seokmin said with forced calm. It was obvious that he was agitated as well.

When the redhead stubbornly shook his head, Mingyu had enough. "Fuck this. Wonwoo, get rid of his bond."

The Guardian, who had remained on the sidelines together with Chan, looked up from his hands. "No."

Appalled, Hansol turned to him. "Are you nuts? Jisoo is in there with that freak!"

"Come on, we need to get in! Please! Do you want him to die or something?"

Mingyu sounded pleading but Wonwoo's face had hardened at the question although his voice remained toneless. "It was his decision to go. Even though I don't like it, I respect it because I respect him."

His words were enough to immediately silence the group and they exchanged guilty glances for a moment. Finally, Jihoon took a deep breath to calm himself before he spoke. "Alright. But if as much as a hair of him is missing after this is over, I'm personally going to hunt you both down."

 

"S-Soonyoung? Are you s-still here?" Jisoo's whispered words floated through the dim room, only lit by the dying fire in the ornamented fireplace. Shivers ran down his spine at the heavy silence that hung in the air. He jumped when the Warrior's voice sounded to his right. Soonyoung stepped into the light of the fire.

"What do you want?"

The Wielder froze at the amount of blood that was coating Soonyoung's skin and had soaked into his clothes, tainting everything a gruesome, rusty red. Turning his eyes away from the unsettling sight, he squinted to see if he could make out Chan's brother but the area behind the blond was shrouded in shadows of broken furniture. "I-is Yohwan... did you... I m-mean-"

A cruel smile played on the Warrior's lips and Jisoo felt the hairs at the back of his neck rise. "He's still alive. I'm not going to make this easy for him, trust me. I'm paying him back for every single lie he's ever told." Soonyoung's smile suddenly turned more genuine and an oddly proud expression took over his face. "I even got back at him for you."

The Wielder inhaled sharply and willed himself not to run as far away as he could from the man in front of him, who spoke so casually about torturing another human being. "I... uhm," he stopped for a short moment, "I a-appreciate the thought. I really do. But you need t-to stop, Soonyoung. You can't just go around hurting people. It's bad and a-against the law."

The Warrior's pleased expression vanished as quickly as it had come. "You don't like it?"

Hesitating for a second, Jisoo worded his answer carefully. "I don't like it when p-people get hurt."

Disappointment seemed to press down on Soonyoung's shoulders until his face hardened once again and he returned to the uncaring manner he had displayed earlier. "That's fine, I guess. I'll still get rid of him, he deserves it," he said with a shrug.

"No! Soonyoung, wait!" Jisoo leaped forward to stop him from turning back and the Warrior immediately raised Yohwan's dagger and aimed at him. Hastily, the Wielder took a step back, raising his hands.

"Don't make me hurt you."

Jisoo's brain seemed to cease to function when the blond turned around. With bravery that only desperation could conjure, he stepped forward, slowly this time to not spook Soonyoung again, and wrapped his arms around his sturdy frame. The Warrior immediately froze at the unexpected warmth against his back.

"Soonyoung, you want to be my Warrior, right?" Jisoo's voice was merely a whisper.

"....yes." The blond sounded wary.

"Why do you want to be my Warrior?"

It took a moment for Soonyoung to answer. "You let your Forcebearers do whatever they want. You respect them."

"Do you think I could do that if my Forcebearers would break the law?" Only silence answered him and Jisoo smiled against the Warrior's back. "As their Wielder, I would get in trouble, right?"

Soonyoung's tense shoulders relaxed and Jisoo gently let his fingers run over the front of his blood stained shirt to coax an answer out of him. "...yes."

"Do you understand why you can't be my Forcebearer if you keep doing stuff like this?"

"But he lied; he used me, Jisoo! He's a horrible person." Soonyoung's voice sounded miserable, weak even.

The Wielder frowned but his hands kept moving in soothing circles. The drying blood felt weird under his fingers. "But Soonyoung, didn't you lie to me too? You pretended to be my friend and you said you would keep me safe in exchange for becoming my Forcebearer. And then you left me and I almost died."

Soonyoung's body tensed after his attempt to garner sympathy had failed and Jisoo half expected to get stabbed when the Warrior turned around in his arms. He tried to let go, to take a step back, but the Warrior held onto him, the hilt of the dagger digging painfully into his side. His heart sped up at the chilling look Soonyoung pierced him with. The Warrior's voice was calm, nothing left of the hurt that had laced it only seconds before, and a shiver crawled down Jisoo's spine at the realization of just how good of an actor Soonyoung really was. "Are you stopping me for my sake or to make yourself feel better?"

A frightening feeling rose in Jisoo's chest. Soonyoung's catlike eyes watched him as if he was prey; a single wrong word, one wrong move could end his life. For a second he contemplated screaming for Minghao but the time it would take the others to reach them would be long enough for Soonyoung to pounce - he immediately discarded the thought. He knew the blond Warrior could see the fear in his expression, it was obvious in the way he smiled. He was testing him.

"Both, p-probably?" the Wielder finally replied. Soonyoung seemed intrigued by his answer, so he kept talking, spouting whatever came to his mind. "It would m-make me feel bad seeing you throw your life away because, even though it wasn't real on y-your part, I genuinely considered you a f-friend."

Although Soonyoung's stare didn't soften, something in his smile seemed to change. For a moment, they both remained silent until Jisoo squeaked in fright when the Warrior suddenly squeezed him against his chest before he released him from his grip. "Adorable as always." Taking a step back, he grinned brightly, the dagger in his hand shimmering crimson when the light hit it. Jisoo carefully moved backwards as well but froze when Soonyoung addressed him once again. "So. What do I have to do to become your Forcebearer? Simply not kill him?"

Jisoo's chest tightened at the thought of bonding with the Warrior. By now, forming a contract had become special to him, reserved for special people in his life. And the intimacy that came with it as well as the feeling of love and the wish to protect was not something he wanted to share with a person like Soonyoung. "I... I don't know? It's n-not that easy." He hunched his shoulders when the blond's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean? We just need to exchange some blood; it's not rocket science. Or..." Soonyoung paused for a long, uncomfortable moment and licked his lips, "...did you lie when you said I could be your Forcebearer?"

Jisoo couldn't suppress a shiver at his tone. "I d-dont-"

"Did you try to use me as well? You wouldn't do that, would you, Jisoo? You're better than that." The Warrior began to approach him, the dagger in his hand glimmering in the light. Retreating, Jisoo's heart beat fastened in fear when his back hit the wall. "Why are you trying to get away? Feeling guilty?"

"Soonyoung, p-please. You're scaring m-me," the Wielder stammered, a tear running down his cheek. To his surprise, the Forcebearer stopped.

"You don't want me because you're scared?"

Something akin to hurt flashed over the blond's face when Jisoo nodded, tears still dripping down his chin. The Wielder stiffened when Soonyoung wordlessly came closer and reached for him with his free hand. Back pressed against the wall, Jisoo raised his arms in a feeble attempt to protect himself - but before he could scream for help, thick white smoke began to fill the room.

Something snaked around his legs, binding them together. Sobbing in horror, he tried to wriggle free and reached for whatever had wrapped around him but the smoke made it hard to breathe and he couldn't see what was happening. Not far off, he could hear Soonyoung coughing.

The door burst open with a deafening _crash_ and Jisoo jumped at the unexpected sound, stumbling to the ground. A voice spoke, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. "Police! Hands up where we can see them!"

Scared, the Wielder followed the orders and the smoke surrounding him slowly dissipated. He could make out Soonyoung now, on the floor as well, thick vines wrapped around his body. The ceiling lamps turned on with a flash and multiple people in uniform stormed into the room. At the sight of guns directed at the Warrior, Jisoo shuddered. One of the officers kneeled down next to the Wielder and the vines that had kept him in place immediately withered and turned into dust. "Are you alright, Sir? We had to take precautions, I apologize."

Jisoo only nodded, watching as three men held Soonyoung down who was struggling against his restraints. "Kwon Soonyoung, you're under arrest for kidnapping Hong Jisoo and murdering Lee Yohwan. You have the right to remain silent."

"I didn't do it! It wasn't my fault!" The Warrior struggled even harder when they tried to pull him back to his feet.

Aggravated voices sounded outside the door and then another officer walked it, followed by Jisoo's Forcebearers - Jeonghan in front, who was still berating the man for trying to stop them. As soon as they spotted the Wielder, they left their victim behind and ran towards him.

"You idiot!" Almost toppling over when several people tried to hug him at the same time, Jisoo flinched at the volume of Mingyu's angry voice next to his ear.

"Don't scare us like this. Please." Seungcheol sounded beyond exhausted.

"I'm sorry. I-" Jisoo's apology got disrupted by Soonyoung's loud voice. The group turned towards the struggling Warrior.

"He's my Wielder! Ask him!"

Jisoo shrank a little when two of the officers looked in his direction but Wonwoo squeezed his shoulder and Jihoon immediately got up and moved in front of him.

"What the hell are you talking about, asshole?!"

"He's my Wielder. He's gonna explain," Soonyoung repeated stubbornly, dark eyes fixed on Jisoo.

Minghao got up as well, snarling at the Warrior. "You lying piece of-"

Seeing how the policemen tightened their grips on their weapons, Jisoo pulled the redhead back before he took a deep breath and returned Soonyoung's gaze. "Soonyoung, I'm not taking responsibility for your actions. You're Yohwan's Forcebearer, not mine."

The officers seemed satisfied with his declaration while the blond's face fell. "Alright. Take him away."

"No! I want to be your Forcebearer! I can get better, I promise! You don't have to be scared! We're friends right? Don't leave me behind! Come on, you owe m-"

"He owes you nothing, asshat," Hansol interrupted heatedly, only held back by Seokmin.

"It's all your goddamn fault anyway. Don't blame it on him," Jun finished, his expression just as furious.

The Wielder had hid his face in Mingyu's chest and the tall Warrior was whispering reassuring words while the other Forcebearers protectively stood in front of them. Soonyoung ignored them, fighting against his restraints and the men trying to take him away, sole focus on the Wielder. "Jisoo, don't betray me! Don't you dare! You promised!"

Chan tugged at Jisoo's sleeve. "Hyung, come on. Let's go home."

The Wielder only nodded, still trying to ignore Soonyoung's voice.

"I'll get you for that, Jisoo! I swear on my life!"

 

~

 

"…was found unconscious and gravely injured with broken bones and multiple stab wounds in the stomach area. Fortunately his assailant had missed vital organs. Police has arrested Kwon Soonyoung, a rank five Warrior, as the prime suspect..."

Hansol stretched lazily, his head resting on Minghao's lap. "It's good that your parents got involved otherwise they would've let your brother off easy and Soonyoung would've gotten all the blame. Nobody dares to go against the almighty Lee's."

Chan nodded quietly, eyes still focused on the faces of his parents flickering over the screen, while Jeonghan pushed Hansol's feet from the sofa with an annoyed frown and sat down behind the young Guardian.

"Did you meet up with them after the trial?" Jihoon asked surprisingly gently from his spot on the soft carpet.

Chan turned to look at him, a somewhat pained expression on his face. "They wanted to but I told them I'm not interested."

"You're almost as bad at lying as Jisoo."

The young Guardian leaned forward to glare at Jun while the others laughed.

"Speaking of Jisoo, any idea how long it'll take?" Mingyu asked and pulled Chan back next to him.

Shrugging, Seungcheol turned in his armchair to reply. "No clue. It's kinda far though so maybe an hour or two?"

"Urgh, I'm really worried. I hate that he went to see him." Although he looked slightly anxious as well, Mingyu smiled when Chan rubbed his cheek against his shoulder, searching for comfort the Warrior was all too willing to provide.

"Well, it's his decision and Seokmin went with him so it should be okay, right?" Minghao peered at the other Forcebearers who didn't look quite convinced. "Right, guys?"

"Seungkwan would've warned us is something was the matter. Also it's a prison - not like much can happen anyway." Focusing back on the book he had been reading, Jihoon fell silent.

"Talking about me? Only good things, I hope." The Clairvoyant's voice rang out from the doorway, his arms wrapped around a massive bag of chips. "Move your butts and make some space for a sick person."

"Sick person, my ass," Hansol grumbled when Seungkwan squeezed in between him and Jeonghan on the sofa. "Seokmin healed your arms almost three weeks ago." His disdain didn't stop him from reaching for the chips.

"They still don't feel the same." While deflecting Hansol's grabby hands, the Clairvoyant heaved a dramatic sigh before he turned to Mingyu on the floor. "And to answer your question: they're almost here."

"Already? They only left like an hour ago and the car ride alone is at least 20 minutes?" Seungcheol questioned, visibly surprised, and Seungkwan's eyes narrowed at his disbelieving expression.

"Are you doubting me?"

"Weeeell...."

"Shut up, I'm trying to read."

The room quieted down once again, everyone focusing back on the television - until the front door opened with a _beep_. A few seconds later, Seokmin walked into the living room, followed by Jisoo.

"How did it go?" Jeonghan asked curiously.

"Don't ask," the Wielder mumbled before he left towards the kitchen without another word. The Forcebearers shared glances before all eyes turned to Seokmin.

The Healer shrugged helplessly. "They didn't let him in. Apparently one of Soonyoung's cellmates told the guards that Soonyoung keeps muttering Jisoo's name, so they decided that it wouldn't be good for his 'therapeutic progress'," he added quotation marks with his fingers, "to see Jisoo. He seems to be doing pretty well though, everyone is impressed."

Jihoon snorted as he closed his book. "Bullshit. He just knows how to wrap people around his finger. Shouldn't professionals know not to fall for this kinda stuff?" Nobody answered his rhetorical question.

"Poor hyung, it took him so long to actually gather the courage to go. I bet he's disappointed." Chan broke the silence and snuggled even closer into Mingyu's side. "Should we check on him?"

"Give him a moment. I'm sure he'll come back once he feels better." Jeonghan ran his fingers through Chan's hair and the Guardian closed his eyes at the pleasant feeling.

Seokmin took a seat on the armrest of the armchair that Seungcheol was occupying and the elder patted his thigh. "Stop frowning, it could've been worse."

"Yeah, I'm not sad that they didn't get to see each other to be honest. Especially after how he reacted to Jisoo during the trial." Minghao visibly shuddered.

"I still think that was a major reason why they pleaded insanity for him. His screams pretty much gave me nightmares," Jun said with a grimace and Mingyu next to him nodded along.

"I'm not convinced, actually," Seokmin mused while he moved from the armchair to the floor next to Chan. "I think it was just for show. Sure, he's angry because he somehow thinks it's Jisoo's fault that he got locked up but he's way too calculating to freak out in front of so many people."

"Why would he do that?" Jeonghan sounded intimidated by the prospect but smiled when Seungkwan wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Who knows? He's cunning, maybe pleading insanity is more beneficial?"

"Can we _please_ stop talking about him? He gives me the creeps. Let's do something nice instead, okay?" Everyone accepted Jun's request and Seungcheol changed the channel.

 

Wandering aimlessly through the flat, Jisoo stopped in front of Mingyu's and Wonwoo's room when he heard music. He knocked quietly, unsure whether he really wanted to be heard. When nothing had happened after a few seconds, he decided to move on - but as soon as he had taken the first step, the door swung open. "Back already?" Wonwoo sounded surprised. "Are you all right?"

"Oh y-yeah. Sorry to bother you."

"You're not. Wanna come in?"

After a split second of hesitation, the Wielder nodded. He took a seat on Wonwoo's bed while the Guardian turned down the music before he sat down next to him, a gap separating them. "Why are you not in the living room with the guys?" Jisoo asked, leaning back against the wall.

Wonwoo looked vaguely embarrassed at his question. "I don't know, honestly. They're much more welcoming now but I still feel kinda weird when I'm with them. Guess I'm just used to being alone."

The Wielder studied him for moment, his expression serious, before he spoke. "You can always leave, you know that, right? I don't want you to force yourself."

Wonwoo immediately straightened up. "I don't want to. I'm happy here," he said, indignation radiating off his every word.

Smiling, Jisoo scooted closer and leaned against his shoulder, their bond warming up at the contact. "Good. It's a bit selfish but I'd be really sad if you left."

The Guardian smiled as well, his face uncharacteristically soft. Lifting his hand, he let his fingers run through the Wielder's hair a few times before he cupped his face for a short moment. His hand came to rest in the middle of Jisoo's chest. Happiness was flowing through their bond, happiness and something even sweeter. Another smile flickered over Wonwoo's face while he searched the Wielder's bright eyes. "I don't think I've told you before, but I really-"

The door opened abruptly and Mingyu marched into the room. "Yo, Wonwoo! Stop hiding, we're ordering pizza and- oh." A hint of red crept onto his cheeks at the sight of the entangled couple on the bed. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your cuddle session."

Jisoo smiled at the tall Warrior but Wonwoo's face had turned unreadable at once. "You're not interrupting. I can cook something if you want, it's no problem," the Wielder offered. He tried to get up but the Guardian pulled him back down. With a surprised squeak, Jisoo fell backwards and landed in Wonwoo's lap.

Nonchalantly, the Guardian rested his chin on the Wielder's shoulder. "He can't. Our cuddle session is not over yet." Jisoo blushed in his arms and Mingyu looked positively flabbergasted at the display of affection from the usually aloof Guardian. A smirk curled Wonwoo's lips. "You can join though. I don't mind sharing."

"Uuh. I'm good, thanks," Mingyu stammered and fled the room, ears and nape burning red.

As soon as the door had closed behind him, Wonwoo broke out in roaring laughter. It was the happiest Jisoo had ever seen him and he couldn't help but join in. Once they had calmed down a little, Wonwoo tousled the Wielder's hair. "Sorry, I just love teasing him. The look on his face gets me every time."

Mirth glittered in his eyes and Jisoo felt his heart lighten at the sight before he grimaced in mock horror. "Oh god, one day you'll be just as bad as Hansol and Minghao, I can see it already. I don't think we'll survive that." They both grinned and the Wielder patted Wonwoo's arm that was still wrapped around his stomach. "Let's go, too. I'm starving and pizza sounds really good right now."

Nodding, Wonwoo released him – not without gently pinching his cheek for making fun of him - and together they walked towards the ruckus in the living room. As soon as they entered, all attention turned to them and Jisoo thought to himself that he was the luckiest man alive when he saw the bright smiles of his Bonded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after (at least until Hansol spilled his coke on Jihoon's favourite book).
> 
> That's it, guys! Thank you for sticking with me for so long! <3 Keep an eye out for extra chapters and maybe check out my other stories too ;)
> 
> Last but not least, I'd love to know  
> \- who was your favourite character?  
> \- which was your favourite moment/interaction?


	58. Snippet: 194

"Jackson wants you to come to his house?"

Seokmin's words were enough to catch the undivided attention of all people currently seated around the big dining table in Jeonghan's flat.

Chan almost spilt his bowl of soup in his haste to lean forward. "Jackson?! What? Why?!"

The probing stares of his Forcebearers caused warmth to crawl over Jisoo's face and he tried to swallow the bite he had taken from his sandwich - before Seokmin had repeated his quiet words not quite so quietly.

Various feelings flashed through his bonds. Concern. Anger. Jealousy. _A lot_ of jealousy. "He j-just-"

"It's obviously a trap," Minghao cut him off, rice still sticking to the chopsticks he waved in front of their faces.

"Yeah, obviously." Hansol nodded sagely.

"Don't go, hyung! He's going to kill you and then forcebond us and then he's- ow!"

The muted _twack_ of Jihoon's newspaper hitting Chan's head caused everyone to quiet down. Nobody wanted to be on the receiving end of the small Warrior's wrath. "Stop talking nonsense, all of you." Dark eyes nailed every Forcebearer to their chair before he turned towards the Wielder, who fidgeted uneasily. "Did he say what he wants?"

"N-no, he said it's a secret."

"That makes it even more suspicious," Mingyu noted helpfully while Jun rolled his eyes next to him and picked up some more fish.

Even Seungkwan seemed interested now, his fingers already massaging his temples. "I'll try to concentrate on the future, maybe I can see something."

"Shouldn't we ask Jisoo what he wants to do?"

Wonwoo's words were met with an annoyed sigh by Jeonghan, whose fork had moved dangerously close to Seungcheol's plate. "Stop being so rational." He stole a piece of meat.

"No, Wonwoo's right," his brother said, waving the offending fork away. "What do you want to do, Soo?"

All eyes turned back to the Wielder who scratched his nape at the question. "Uhm, well... it's the first time he asked me for help so I'd really like to go..."

"But sweetheart, what if it's dangerous?" Jeonghan's brows had furrowed at his words and he was by far the only one looking concerned.

"He is one of the most powerful Wielders on campus," Minghao threw in and most Forcebearers nodded. "And he never seemed to like you all that much which makes it even more fishy."

 

A feeling of dread bloomed in Jisoo's stomach when he finally arrived in front of Jackson's house and peered through the gate. It was quite big - more of a villa than a regular house - but he had expected nothing less from the most feared Wielder in university. 'Ordinary' just wasn't his style. It looked quite well-kept and unintimidating though, with trimmed hedges and a bright green lawn.

The Wielder took in the height of the fence and tried to push the thought away that it could also be used to lock him in instead of locking him out. Yesterday's dinner conversation had really messed with his head.

With a quiet huff, he once again checked if his bonds were sealed off completely before he steeled his resolve and used a shaking finger to press the doorbell.

It didn't take long for a buzzer to ring. He pushed against the gate, his stomach one big knot of anxiety, and it swung open without a sound.

 

Jisoo followed the other Wielder along a brightly lit corridor, pictures of smiling people lining the walls. He could make out Jackson in various stages of his life, once apparently in kindergarten, wearing a bright yellow safety jacket, next with friends at high school graduation...

They entered the living room which had a surprisingly cosy atmosphere and Jisoo jumped slightly when Jackson finally addressed him. "Thanks for coming." It took the other Wielder visible effort to stay friendly and aloof. "Want something to drink?"

All of Hansol's warnings about being on guard and not touching food or drinks immediately popped into Jisoo's head and fought his upbringing as a polite person.

His upbringing won. "Y-yes, thank you."

Jackson sneered when he noticed Jisoo's worried gaze following his hands. "Relax, I'm not gonna spike your drink or something. If I wanted to do something, I'd do it with a frontal attack. Poison is for weak sucke- I mean. Poison is kinda underhanded, right?"

Jisoo couldn't help but chuckle at his choice of words. It was kind of a relief to get a glimpse at the usual potty-mouthed Jackson behind the unnaturally friendly mask.

 

Silence filled the room while both sipped their cokes. Jisoo could feel the tension rising. He fidgeted on his place on the couch, shooting glances at the other and wondering if he should simply _ask_ what all this was about - but he had never been the most courageous person so he remained silent until Jackson spoke. "I need your help."

The sentence alone seemed to rob the student of his will to live. Concern welled up in Jisoo at the sight of his defeated expression. "S-sure, what is it?"

Jackson stared him down for a drawn-out moment and Jisoo once again fidgeted nervously. "If this leaves this room, you're dead. You got me?"

"Y-yes?"

"Fuck, here goes nothing. Alright." Jackson released a deep sigh. He seemed to brace himself for whatever was going to come so Jisoo decided to do the same. "I need you to get me a date."

Silence once again filled the room while the Wielder tried to comprehend what he had just heard. "A d-date?" he finally repeated. "Why? With whom?"

That question seemed to hit a nerve. Jisoo recoiled at the dangerous expression that crossed Jackson's features as the other male leaned closer, their faces only a few inches apart. "Who gives a shit?!"

Okay. No more stupid questions. But Jisoo was still curious; Jackson's threatening stare somewhat softened by the glowing red ears of the usually tough male and the fluffy pillow he pressed against his chest - in seemingly unaware self-defence. The Wielder decided he could risk asking the question that bothered him most.

"B-but why would you ask me? We don't know each other well... and I've only been on a date o-once." Twice, if one could count that weird half-date he had had with Seungcheol ages ago. Redness made Jisoo's cheeks burn at the memory while Jackson stared at him in disbelief.

"Once? Are you fucking kidding me? You're surrounded by guys who practically worship the ground you're walking on!"

The redness intensified tenfold. "Wha- no! T-That's-," he sputtered but Jackson didn't give him the time to think of a good retort.

"Okay, doesn't matter! Whatever you do it seems to work, so get me someone like that too."

"But _why_?"

The other Wielder ruffled his hair in agitation and Jisoo shrunk back against the armrest of the sofa at his anger. " _Because_ my parents gonna get me some weird chick to marry if I don't do something quickly!" He took a deep breath. "And I don't want that."

It was a weird kind of loneliness that laced his voice at the last words and sympathy immediately stirred in Jisoo's chest. He reached out and patted the back of Jackson's hand, the other Wielder's fingers still tightly buried into the pillow. A smile played on his lips when Jackson looked up. "Okay, I'll help you."

His Forcebearers wouldn't be happy.

 

"Yugyeom?"

"Ew, no."

"Jaebum?"

"No."

"Bambam?"

"What's wrong with you?"

This time it was Jisoo who ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. They had been trying to come up with a good partner for over twenty minutes now, starting with girls from the most popular Wielder groups in university, but Jackson had declined them all for no apparent reason. It had taken some courage for Jisoo to begin listing guys as well and Jackson had looked murderous at first until he had seemingly accepted his fate. "What about your other friends? Or their Forcebearers?"

Jackson snorted in disgust. "Impossible."

Jisoo rubbed his temples and decided that he needed a different approach. What would Seokmin do in this kind of situation? "Well, do you have someone you like?"

His own bluntness surprised him but he was even more surprised by the blush that spread over Jackson's face. It looked oddly out of place. "No."

"There is someone."

"No!"

Jisoo threw his hands in the air, annoyance bubbling in his stomach. "I can't help you if you don't tell me!" His voice was loud, louder than normal, and he immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and looked at the other with wide eyes - but the male was obviously more bothered by his words than by his rude tone. Jackson always seemed to find a way to bring out the worst in him.

The other Wielder had jumped up from the sofa, his hands clenched into fists and his face beet-red. For a short moment, Jisoo thought he would hit him, until- "Oh my god, you nosy little-! Fine! Daehyun! Fucking satisfied?!"

That immediately made Jisoo's eyes widen even further while Jackson turned his back to avoid his stare. "Daehyun? _Jung_ Daehyun?!"

How had that happened? Sure, they had eaten together before - well, rarely, since Jackson still avoided getting seen with them - but Jisoo couldn't remember a time where Jackson had actually talked to the other Wielder, much less held a conversation with him.

"Problem?!" Jackson grunted, clearly uncomfortable with the revelation.

"N-no! I'm just- you know- surprised. I didn't expect that."

 

"Daehyun, it's me. Can we meet up?"

"What's the matter, Jisoo? Are you alright? Do you need help?"

"I'm fine, don't worry. I just have something to talk about with you. Are you free tomorrow? Can we meet at Naksan Park?"

"Uh, sure. How does three pm sound?"

"Great! See you then!"

 

Bang Yongguk [14:37]: He's on his way now

Jisoo [14:38]: Okay, thank you Yongguk

Bang Yongguk [14:38]: :-)

Zelo [14:40]: i don't like it why cant you ask daehyun out instead jisoo hyung

Zelo [14:41]: i would allow you to date him

Hime-chan [14:41]: you're making Yongguk sad Zelo

Zelo [14:42]: i approve of hyung and jisoo too

[Bang Yongguk has left the group chat]

Zelo [14:44]: jongup hit me!

Hime-chan [14:45]: serves you right

 

Jisoo could feel the dark stares of his Forcebearers drilling holes in his back but he was too occupied with ignoring Jackson's whispered death threats and keeping an eye out for Daehyun to give them any sort of attention. They were hiding behind the toilets in the park where the meeting - and hopefully date, once Jackson had found the courage to actually ask Daehyun out - would take place.

"-gonna force Yugyeom to electrocute you, nice and slow, cooking you from the inside until-"

"Shhh, he's coming!"

Jackson immediately paled at his words and tried to take a step back but Jisoo's hand around his wrist - the feeling of darkness behind them intensified at once - stopped him. "I can't do this. Jisoo, seriously, I can't. I'll just get married. No biggie."

"Don't say that! You want to be happy, right?" Jisoo searched his face.

A blush immediately crept over Jackson's cheeks until he turned away. "Yeah," he mumbled.

"Okay, then go and ask Daehyun out. He can't do anything worse than say no. At least you can move on then, right?"

Jackson turned back to him, his eyebrows furrowed. "When did you get so fierce? Where did the cute, timid Wielder from the beginning of the year go? I kinda miss him, y'know."

Now it was Jisoo's turn to blush and the other Wielder grinned his usual predatory smile. It faltered as soon as Jisoo pushed him around the corner, towards Daehyun.

Watching him take a few wobbly steps, Jisoo quickly backtracked to hide behind the bushes. His back hit something hard and arms wrapped around his waist.

"Done playing cupid, sweety?" Jeonghan sounded a weird mixture of amused and annoyed while Seungcheol nuzzled against Jisoo's temple, his cold fingers dipping below the Wielder's thick sweater until Jihoon pulled at his brother's ear.

Jisoo smiled brightly at the sight of his Forcebearers and took Chan's outstretched hand. "I guess. Now we'll have to wait."


	59. Snippet: 165

Jisoo quietly closed the door behind him and leaned against it with a heavy sigh.

It had happened again. For the second time.

Unbelievable.

He stopped rubbing his face when he heard the clanking of pots and pans in the kitchen, accompanied by off-key singing. His mood immediately lifted a little. After patting his cheeks - to make sure they were not burning hot anymore -, he took off his jacket. "Channie?"

The singing stopped at once and it only took a few seconds for the younger to reach him. The air got driven out of Jisoo's lungs when he got tackled into a hug. "Hyung! Did you get home safely? No weird people, right? Did Hansol pick you up? I finished all your chores already! And I made ramyeon and it turned out pretty okay!"

Jisoo laughed at the proud expression on Chan's face, a warm tingle somewhere deep in his chest when he returned the hug. He decided that it was better not to tell the Guardian about the car that had followed him home from the bookstore.

 

"Do you have any plans today, hyung?"

Jisoo looked up from his breakfast at the sudden question. The younger was chewing on his toast, watching him intently. "Not really, what about you?"

Chan's face lit up at the answer. "Ooh, let's do something together then, yes? How about a movie? I heard that the new cinema in Yongsan is really good. Let's get something nice to eat afterwards too, okay? And then we could go for a walk at Hangang, the river is supposed to be really beautiful at night."

His eagerness made Jisoo smile. It had been a while since Chan had gotten this excited; he had often seemed a little down during the past few weeks. "That sounds really good. Do you have a movie you want to see?"

"How about the new Marvel one?"

"Oh, I've already watched it with Mingyu and Wonwoo, sorry Channie."

Chan's smile was still in place. "Oh, that's fine. What about 'Puzzle'?"

"Seokmin showed me that one; it's really good, you should watch it too."

"...'Mission Impossible'?"

"I watched it with Jeonghan on our date night last week."

Jisoo flinched when Chan's chopsticks met the surface of the kitchen table. Startled, he looked up but Chan had turned his back to him while he moved his plate to the sink. "Fine. You pick one then."

The Wielder contemplated for a moment while chewing on his eggs. "Hm... what about the new Jurassic World? Seungcheol said that he wants to see it and I'm sure Hansol would be in, too. We could all go together," he finally proposed, completely oblivious to how much Chan's shoulders had tensed at the mention of the other Bonded.

Slowly, the Guardian turned around, his cheeks burning red. "You know what? I'm just going to stay home today."

 

Jisoo was on his way home from university - alone since his Bonded were busy with club activities and papers - when it happened again.

He had learned from his past experiences and had stayed at the busy main street but that didn't stop the car from pulling over next to him.

Grasping the strap of his bag tightly, he fastened his steps but he knew that he wouldn't be able to outrun it.

 

"Hyung? Hyung!"

"Huh?" Jisoo looked up from the page he had been staring at for the past 20 minutes. He was supposed to read the book for a group assignment and he was sure Jihoon would be less than pleased if he came to class without remembering a single word of what he had read - but he couldn't help it. His thoughts were constantly drifting away.

"Are you okay? You didn't answer my question." Chan looked worried, his messy hair a cute contrast to his serious expression.

Jisoo smiled. "Yes, don't worry, I'm just a bit tired. What were you asking?" He reached out to adjust Chan's pyjama shirt and the younger blushed when he undid the first few buttons to redo them.

"Hyung, stop it!" Chan sounded annoyed while he defended himself against Jisoo's hands.

Quickly, the Wielder pulled back.

"You're treating me like a child! Seriously. I'm nineteen, not five."

At his words, Jisoo's face fell. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to-"

The anger and embarrassment that had leaked through their bond turned remorseful at the sight of the Wielder's troubled expression. Chan flushed even brighter. "Ah, no. I'm sorry, hyung. Don't be sad." He patted Jisoo's arm and the Wielder attempted a half-hearted smile which the younger returned just as half-heartedly.

It wasn't their first fight in the past weeks, all of them for petty reasons. Jisoo blamed his constant restlessness.

Chan awkwardly scratched his neck before he turned towards the bedroom, avoiding his eyes. "I'm probably just tired. I'll sleep now."

Jisoo stared after his Guardian, concern weighing heavily on his shoulders.

 

Jisoo was watching the street like a hawk. Every time a dark car drove towards him, he prepared himself - only for it to drive past. He had blocked his bonds to stop his Forcebearers from being affected but he had never been a particularly good actor.

"So... care to tell me what's going on?"

Minghao's tone made him flinch but he still decided to feign ignorance. "W-What are you talking about?" The red-head stared him down until Jisoo blushed - it didn't take long. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"I'll forgive you if you tell me why a trip to the supermarket makes you nervous."

Minghao wrapped an arm around Jisoo's shoulders and the Wielder relaxed slightly. If he had to choose, he probably wouldn't pick the temperamental red-head to confide in since he tended to be a bit rash with his judgement but now it was obviously too late.

But before he could explain, the thing he had dreaded happened - again, for the fourth time.

A car stopped next to them. A sleek and expensive black car. The back door opened without a sound for Jisoo to get in. Only that this time he wasn't alone.

"What the fuck?!" Minghao immediately pulled his Wielder behind him.

Without hesitation, Jisoo ran his hand over his Warrior's arm and stepped around him. "Don't worry. Go home first, I'll get the groceries later."

"Wha- hey! Don't just get into a stranger's car! It's dangerous!" Minghao scrambled after him, onto the luxurious leather back seat, while Jisoo was already putting on his seatbelt. The driver, clad in a pristine uniform, didn't acknowledge their presence.

"What the hell is going on, Jisoo?" Minghao whispered. He managed to hide his fear well but Jisoo could still see it in his tense expression and in the way he stuck close to him even though they had plenty of space.

The quiet hum of the car's motor was a soothing background melody and the Wielder settled back - partly because he knew what would happen, partly for Minghao to calm down. The Warrior relaxed a little when he noticed how calm Jisoo was.

"We're going to meet Chan's father."

"What?! The super rich guy?"

Jisoo cracked a smile. Only Minghao would focus on _that_ aspect in this kind of situation. Although, Hansol probably would too. "Yes. It's my fourth time meeting him."

"What does he want from you?"

With a heavy sigh, Jisoo leaned against Minghao's shoulder. The redhead immediately wrapped an arm around him.

"He wants his son back."

 

"Who is he?"

Even though he was already quite old, Chan's father still was an imposing figure. The way he was seated behind his polished desk screamed power and his cold eyes held contempt. He reminded Jisoo of Yohwan, although he wasn't flaunting his arrogance as much as his son had. It was also evident from the interior of his study that they shared a weird taste for expensive antiques.

"He's my Warrior. If you don't want him here, we'll leave together." Jisoo's voice was steady and as cold as ice. Not even his usual nervous stutter was noticeable.

Next to him, Minghao shot him wary glances, not used to his Wielder behaving that way.

Chan's father waved his words away like flies. "Nevermind. Have you thought about my offer?"

"What offer?" Minghao interrupted. The old man's forehead furrowed but the Warrior didn't even bother to look at him. "What is he talking about, Jisoo?"

"It doesn't matter." The Wielder didn't break eye contact with the man in front of him. "Just like the last three times, I decline."

Chan's father leaned back, thinly veiled annoyance on his face. "Think about the possibilities, Mr. Hong. You could have anything you want: a big apartment for you and your Forcebearers, money for your family. You could buy your parents their own house."

He had certainly done his homework. Jisoo made sure his bonds were closed so nobody could feel the anger burning in his chest. Forcing himself to remain as calm as possible, he replied, "One day I'll be able to buy my parents a house without having to sell out one of my Bonded. Chan doesn't want to go back. He told you that multiple times already and I'm not going against his wishes."

The fist of the man met the wooden surface of his desk. Jisoo could see traces of Chan in the way he squinted his eyes when he was angry. "You don't understand the predicament I'm in. Because of you, my son is in prison and my younger son refuses to return. What am I supposed to tell my investors? I need an heir for the business!"

"That is what it's all about? An heir?" Minghao laughed in disbelief. "I can't believe you'd force your son to take over your shitty business even though he doesn't want to. And here I thought my father was an asshole."

The face of Chan's father flushed at the insult. "Forcebearers should know to be quiet when Wielders are talking," he hissed, his hands clenching the armrests of his chair. "If you were bonded to me, I'd-"

"We're leaving," Jisoo cut him off and got up, the heavy chair screeching over the wooden floor. "I'm not letting you threaten my Forcebearer."

The man got up as well, a deep scowl on his face. "Chan was raised to be the heir!"

Jisoo held the door open for Minghao before he turned back once more. "As long as Chan wants to stay with me, I'm not sending him away. No amount of threats or bribery will change that. Have a good day, Sir."

 

"Woooo, I don't think I've ever seen you that fierce." Minghao grinned happily and slung an arm around Jisoo's waist. "That was hot."

Elbowing his side, Jisoo flushed a pretty shade of scarlet. Together they waited for the taxi to arrive.

 

"You took ages. Did you have fun with Minghao?" Chan's voice sounded uncharacteristically cold. He was curled up on the couch, his back turned to Jisoo while the Wielder lugged several bags filled with groceries towards the kitchen.

With a low sigh, Jisoo set the bags down. He was tired from the talk with Chan's father and the ongoing tension between the Guardian and him but he couldn't find it in him to scold the younger. It wasn't his fault after all.

"Channie, what's the matter?" The Guardian didn't react when he sat down at the edge of the sofa. "We're fighting so often lately but I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Hearing those words, Chan tensed, his face still turned towards the backrest. "You're not doing anything wrong. Stop blaming yourself."

Jisoo ran his hand over the younger's back, unsure what to say.

After a moment of silence, Chan turned to face him. His eyes were wet. "I'm immature and I make you sad. I hate that."

A lump formed in Jisoo's throat when the stress of the past few weeks threatened to overwhelm him. Biting his lip to stop himself from crying, he pulled Chan into his arms and buried his face in the crook of his neck. The younger stiffened when he felt tears on his skin.

"Hyung? What happened?!"

 

"That bastard."

"Don't say that. He's your father."

The Guardian remained silent but his fingers kept running through Jisoo's hair, his chin resting on Jisoo's shoulder.

The Wielder enjoyed the soft touch and the warmth of Chan's chest against his. Usually it was Jisoo who was comforting the younger and the change was new but welcome. For the first time in weeks, the Wielder felt completely at ease.

Chan sighed and his fingers began to draw circles on Jisoo's nape, massaging it gently. "I'll talk to mother about it. She's more understanding than father and she always disliked that he didn't consider my sister as an heir." He pulled back slightly to catch the Wielder's gaze, his expression serious. "Please talk to me if something like that happens again. I can handle it. You don't have to protect me."

Jisoo looked down. "I'm sorry. I guess I was just trying to be a good Wielder."

At his apology, Chan smiled and his fingers once again tangled into Jisoo's hair while he pulled him closer. "You're the best Wielder anyone could wish for." He hesitated for a second before he continued, "I know you're just trying to protect me but I wish you would treat me more like the others."

This time it was Jisoo who leaned back to examine the Guardian. "What do you mean?"

Chan immediately flushed and avoided his eyes. "You know - and that's not some sort of criticism or something - but I often feel like... like you don't really see me as a man. If you know what I mean." The younger quickly hid his face in Jisoo's neck while the Wielder blushed as well.

He suddenly became very aware of the arms around him and of the way he was snugly seated between the Guardian's thighs, his own legs wrapped around Chan's hips.

"You have date nights with them but if I ask you out, you always make a group thing out of it. And you kiss them and do stuff you don't do with me. I'm nineteen, you know? Are you just not attracted to me or something?" Chan's voice had turned into a whisper at the last words.

Jisoo's heart squeezed painfully. He ran his hands over the Guardian's back, noticing the tension in his muscles. "Of course not. It's j-just- you're the youngest and when we first met you we're so h-helpless and sad and I wanted to protect you and make you happy. I was always worried about making you u-uncomfortable. I'm sorry if I made you feel unwanted instead, that really wasn't m-my intention."

Chan raised his head, his cheeks still hot, and searched Jisoo's face. "So, uh, you won't mind if I kiss you?"

The Wielder couldn't suppress a smile and Chan visibly relaxed. "Go for it."

A bright grin lit up the younger's face before he leaned in, his fingers gently tugging at Jisoo's hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this story, maybe check out the one I'm currently writing: [Unit S](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19332370/chapters/45987103)  :)


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